amount required would be about 15 acres to the head. In the Ceusus 
Report for 1880, Mr. Clarence Gordon says of Kausas west of the ninety- 
ninth meridian : u Where there is sufficient water, 10 acres of range will 
support one head of neat stock. When we find that there were in esti- 
mate 80 acres to each unit of stock, we have to remember that at least 
one-half of the occupied area is scantily watered, and that the region is 
not fully stocked." Elsewhere he says that in 1880 there were in the 
same region over 184,000 head of stock, and that the approximate acre- 
age for stock occupation was 15,782,880 acres. And in Nebraska, west 
of the ninety-ninth meridian, there were 571,386 head of cattle, with an 
approximate acreage of occupation of 26,000,000 acres, or about 48 acres 
per head. 
It is impossible to realize the full capacity of these districts under 
the ranch system. This can only be accomplished by limiting the ex- 
tent of the range and the size of the herds, so that they can be properly 
cared for as to water, shelter, and winter feed ; and this would require 
the cultivation of a part of the land. The question of water supply on 
the high lands will in time be successfully solved, so that every fertile 
acre can be beneficially employed. And with these conditions fulfilled 
the supporting capacity of the country can be easily doubled and quad- 
rupled. 
A PASTORAL COUNTRY. 
Sufficient time has not elapsed to determine what will be the ultimate 
success of general agriculture in this section, but there can be no doubt 
that the country is eminently adapted to pastoral uses, and the settlers 
who are now filling up the country would do well to direct their efforts 
to stock raising and to dairy interests. 
Notwithstanding the great development of the cattle industry during 
recent years, statistics show that the production of beef has not kept 
pace with the increase of population, and to supply the great demand 
for meat will require not only the usual product of the ranches, but 
opens also an excellent opportunity of cattle farming, where the addi- 
tional labor and care employed will not only increase the supply, but 
find ample remuneration. 
HOW TO INCREASE THE GRASS SUPPLY. 
The inquiry will naturally arise in thoughtful minds, cannot the graz- 
ing capacity of this region be increased by substituting more product- 
ive grasses, those which will not only endure the aridity of the climate, 
but also clothe the ground more completely, and furnish a more abundant 
growth ? There can be no doubt as to the high nutritive value of the 
gramma and buffalo grasses, but the yield is so light as to require a 
large area for cattle to range over to obtain support. There can be no 
improvement in this respect without cultivation of the soil. 
It has been argued that in this arid region agriculture cannot be suc- 
cessful from a want of sufficient rainfall. But it is now claimed by 
