RANGE AND CATTLE MANAGEMENT DURING DROUGHT. 



41 



Table 15. — Rate of stocking and estimated carrying capacity, Pasture 13, 1915 



to 1919. 



[Area of pasture 17,001 acres.] 



Period, July 1 to June 30. 



Average 

 acres per 

 head for 

 365 days' 

 grazing. 



Estimated 



per cent of 



forage 



utilized. 



Estimated 



grazing 



capacity 



acres per 



head for 365 



days. 



1915-16 



42.3 

 64.5 

 65.1 

 114.4 



100 

 80 

 90 

 50 



42.3 



1916-17 



51.6 



1917-18 . 



58.6 



1918-19 . 



57.2 







Table 16. — Bate of stocking and estimated grazing capacity of Pasture 1, 1915 



to 1919. 



[Area 74,714 acres.] 



Period, July 1 to June 30. 



Average 

 acres per 

 head for 

 365 days' 

 grazing. 



Estimated 



per cent of 



forage 



utilized. 



Estimated 

 grazing 

 capacity 

 acres per 



head for 365 

 days. 



1915-16 



48.6 

 48.2 

 85.3 

 71.3 



100 

 100 

 100 

 80 



48.6 



1916-17 . . ... 



48.2 



1917-18 . 



85.3 



1918-19 



57.0 







These tables show that the carrying capacity of the summer range 

 has varied from 42.3 acres per head in good years to 85.3 acres per 

 head in time of drought, a reduction of 50 per cent. Extent of graz- 

 ing during the growing season does not affect this type materially, 

 although the amount of forage produced and consequently grazing 

 capacity are greatly influenced by precipitation. If the 1916-18 dry 

 period is a fair measure of the possible severity of drought, and it 

 probably is, the number of stock dependent on such range for sum- 

 mer grazing should be reduced approximately 50 per cent in the 

 third dry year, with some reductions necessary the first and second 

 years. This corresponds to the reductions recommended for 

 the grama-grass range. It is believed that the reduction in stock 

 during drought, as proposed in Table 14, will apply to both the 

 grama-grass and tobosa-grass range and therefore to the Jornada 

 Range Reserve as a unit or to other range units under similar man- 

 agement in southern New Mexico. 



ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY IN CATTLE MANAGEMENT. 



The great reduction in the volume of forage produced during 

 drought and its effect on the grazing capacity or percentage of stock 

 grazed, and the impracticability of extensive feeding to meet the de- 



