58 BULLETIN 100, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



some other cultivated species is found grovvdng along wagon tracks, 

 in the center of a wagon road, or around camp grounds. In such 

 l^laces the ground usually has been made more favorable for receiv- 

 ing the seed and retaining moisture as a result of some disturbance 

 or fertilization. Further, it is probable that a great many seeds 

 have been scattered in these places compared with the few which 

 grow and become established. The conditions of soil, moisture, fer- 

 tilitj^, and competition of native vegetation where the cultivated 

 plants are found growing as compared vfith those on the area to be 

 seeded should be carefully studied before recommendations are made. 



It should be remembered that seeding to cultivated forage plant* 

 will cost ^ from $1 to $5 per acre if properly done, and that protection 

 against grazing during the first year after seeding is essential to suc- 

 cess. Cultivated species can not be expected to succeed and. continue 

 productive on the- range with less protection than is required for 

 their successful growth on the farm. 



It is not j:he object of this discussion, however, to discourage all 

 consideration of seeding to cultivated forage plants. On the con-- 

 trary, this phase of range improvement must be given more con- 

 sideration as grazing becomes more intensive and as the value of 

 range increases. What is needed is more careful examination of the 

 comparatively small acreage of lands where soil and moisture con- 

 ditions are similar to those of farm and ranch lands which are pro- 

 ducing profitable pasturage of cultivated forage plants. Of lands 

 in this class the most promising are mountain meadows and parks, 

 alluvial ilats along streams, and other areas of deep soil with con- 

 siderable organic matter. 



There undoubtedly are many acres of mountain meadow and park 

 lands within the National Forests which should be improved by seed- 

 ing and by other means as soon as it is feasible to follow seeding by 

 the care and grazing management necessary for successful growth 

 and maintenance of the forage crop resulting from seeding. These 

 areas in most cases are such as for many years have been favorite 

 congregating places for cattle, bedding grounds for sheep, salting 

 grounds for both classes of stock, locations for separating corrals, 

 round-up grounds, and camp grounds. In a great many cases exces- 

 sive use for these purposes has hastened erosion and lowered the 

 stream bed until the water level is far below the surface of the 

 ground ; and the meadow, o\ice moist and productive, has become dry 

 and low in productivity. Seeding alone will not bring about the de- 

 sired improvement in such cases. The water must be distributed over 

 the surface instead of running down a channel 5 to 20 feet deep, and 

 abusive use must be eliminated. The fact that many mountain 



1 Sampson, Arthur W., The Reseeding- of Depleted Grazing Lands to Cultivated Forage 

 Plants, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bui. 4, 1913. 



