STOCKIXG NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS SHEEP RANGE 5 



The data from those vegetative studies and the weights of the sheep, 

 phis records of actual grazing use and numerous observations and in- 

 formal records of plant palatabilities and the grazing habits of yearling 

 ewes, formed a basis for evaluating the various degrees or intensities 

 of stocking. 



CHARACTER OF NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS RANGE 



Northern Great Plains range, sometimes called mixed prairie (1) 

 and short-grass (9, pp. 460-462) range, supports a cover of native 

 vegetation in which the short grasses are generally dominant. The 

 variable soils and topography combine in many ways and each 

 situation is characterized by certain range plant species or groups of 



Figure 2. 



-Blue grama and bluestem wheatgrass and rolling topography char- 

 acterize a large part of the northern Great Plains range. 



species. As might be expected, not all of these situations were 

 represented on the experimental range. Fortunately, however, four 

 major situations which are representative of a large part of the 

 northern Great Plains range composed practically all of the experi- 

 mental area. 



Well-drained soils and rolling topography (fig. 2) characterize vast 

 areas in the northern Great Plains. These sandy clay Loams havea 

 high water-absorbing capacity and normally remain moderately moisl 

 well into the growing season if conservatively managed. The vegeta- 

 tion, which on the average covers 25 to 35 percent of the ground sur- 

 face, is composed largely of grasses and grasslike plants, but numerous 

 weeds or forbs as well as some cactus, sagebrush, and other shrubs are 

 also present. The principal species are blue grama, bluestem wheat- 



