8 BULLETIN lid, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



fertile seed, and the establishment of seedlings are most important; 

 and the goat grazing should be adjusted so as to interfere as little as 

 possible with these plant functions. 



Continuous close cropping of the forage during the growing season 

 removes the leaves of the palatable species as fast as they are pro- 

 duced. If the roots are not killed by starvation, they are often 

 trampled out of the ground hj the goats' hoofs. Hence the palatable 

 species fail to reproduce and gradually disappear; and the unpala- 

 table species, having a greater chance for growth and reproduction, 

 gradually take the place of the palatable species. Only a very open 

 stand is formed. Erosion follows, the valuable surface soil is washed 

 and blown away, and reestablishment of the palatable forage cover is 

 made most difficult. 



This denuded condition prevails especially where grazing has been 

 cxeessivety concentrated around bed grounds used every night 

 throughout the growing season. It is important, therefore, that goats 

 be bedded in any one place for only a short period. This will not 

 only eliminate the concentration of grazing but will also secure a 

 more uniform utilization of all the range forage. 



If the forage is given a complete rest, or is only lightly grazed 

 during the growing season, the palatable vegetation has an oppor- 

 tunity to make normal growth. With normal growth fertile seeds 

 are produced, the seedlings are given a chance to become established, 

 and an appreciable increase in the palatable vegetation may result. 



To ascertain the effect of giving the forage a rest from grazing, 

 plots were established on seriously overgrazed, southwestern goat 

 ranges; and for two years the areas were protected from grazing 

 during part or all of the growing period, and closety grazed at other 

 times, the broAA^se, because of its scarcity, being overgrazed. The 

 increase in density of palatable forage in the two years averaged ap- 

 proximately 67 per cent for grasses and 4 per cent for browse. The 

 greatest increases were approximately 125 per cent for the grasses 

 and 27 per cent for the browse. When overgrazed goat range is given 

 a rest during the growing season and not overgrazed at other times, 

 the grass recuperates readily. The brush recovers more slowly. 

 When the range has been only lightly overgrazed the brush also 

 recuperates readily with protection, but if the range has been badly 

 overgrazed the brush requires several years before it makes normal 

 growth. 



When range is fully stocked it is not always possible to allow all 

 the summer range a rest from grazing during the growing season. 

 If the Avinter range and the summer-and-fall range can be inter- 

 changed adA'antageously each of these diA T isions can be given protec- 

 tion in different years; but it is often impossible to interchange them 

 because snow prevents winter use of the range reserved for summer 



