52 BULLETIN 1031, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



has had ample opportunity to recover to its proper stand of forage. 

 As soon as one portion has been built up the same treatment should 

 be given another part of the range and the process rotated so that 

 the entire range will receive the benefits of the treatment every few 

 years. Since part of the range is being more heavily grazed than the 

 yearlong rate during the growing season, however, care should be 

 exercised to see that this part is not injured before it receives an 

 opportunity to be protected during the growing season. 



DISTRIBUTION OF STOCK ON THE EANGE. 



Full and even utilization of the forage, more especially on the 

 larger subdivisions or units of range, is an important factor if best 

 results are to be expected from a system of range management. On 

 the Jornada Eange Keserve, besides proper number and distribution 

 of watering places, it has been found that other measures are very 

 often necessary to secure the best results. When cattle are shifted 

 from one part of a range to another there is a natural tendency for 

 them to drift back toward their former range. Cattle are often slow 

 to drift from the vicinity of water where grazing is quite close to 

 another part of the pasture or range where there is more feed. Fenc- 

 ing in such instances may not be economical, but proper salting and 

 range riding have been found of material benefit. 



Distribution of water for stock. — Proper number and distribution 

 of watering places are essential to avoid overstocking around water 

 and secure full utilization of an entire range. It was pointed out" 

 that permanent watering places on the plains and mesa range of the 

 Southwest should not be more than 5 miles apart wherever the 

 carrying capacity of the range and the cost of water development 

 will warrant. As the distance increases beyond 5 miles there will be 

 rapid increase in local overgrazing near the water and in uneven 

 utilization beyond 2^ miles from water, with poorer condition and 

 heavier losses among stock. Plate IV, figures 1 and 2, shows the 

 effects of too great distances between waterings on the range and of 

 proper distances. 



It was also pointed out^^ that one permanent watering place to 

 each 500 head of cattle is justified, and that where the conditions are 

 favorable tanks should be constructed to catch flood waters to sup- 

 plement the permanent watering places. Such tanks are of necessity 

 limited to areas of suitable drainage, no tanks being possible on flat 

 areas or those with extremely sandy soil. The southwest portion of 

 the plains area of the Jornada reserve is well suited to tanking, and 

 14 surface tanks have been constructed to supplement the five perma- 



M Department of Agriculture Bulletin 588. 



