GRASS CULTURE AND RANGE IMPROVEMENT 39 



average. Their work was confined largely to cultivated species and 

 a few native western range plants ; however, they stated that the suc- 

 cess with the few native western species suggested that promising re- 

 sults could be attained when more attention is devoted to range 

 plants. 



Wilson (74 p. \3~\ ) in 1931 concluded that where there is control of 

 the range many of the New Mexico ranges can be improved by arti- 

 ficial reseeding. 



The results so far accomplished indicate that — 



chamiza (Atriplex cwnescens) , blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis), and in 

 the colder sections smooth brome grass {Bromus inermis), are among the most 

 promising species for artificial reseeding in this State. * * * As a rule, 

 artificial reseeding in this State, especially where there is much vegetation 

 already on the land, requires plowing or similar preparation of the soil before 

 planting. At least one or two cultivations may also be essential during the fore 

 part of the growing season, for weed control. Plot tests and the experience of 

 stockmen indicate that some of the New Mexico ranges can be materially im- 

 proved, however, merely by broadcasting chamiza or blue grama grass seed, 

 with little or no soil preparation. 



The possibility of establishing stands of grass in pasture furrows 

 was first suggested and tested by the Division of Agrostology, now 

 known as the Division of Forage Crops and Diseases, at the old range 

 experiment station at Abilene, Tex., in 1899 by Bentley (6). His 

 conclusions regarding this phase of the studies were (6>, pp. 6-7) : 



Another experiment has been instituted on one of the station pastures that 

 promises to result favorably, namely, catching the grass seeds that are blown 

 about by the winds. 



The prevailing winds during the summer months in central Texas are from 

 the south. Many of the grass seeds, as they fall to the ground, except where 

 the surface has been scarified or plowed, are blown by the wind onto other 

 lands. * * * In order to save these seeds to the pastures producing them, a 

 part of one of the station pastures was selected, and about every 12 feet fur- 

 rows have been plowed from east to west, the idea being, (1) that the seeds 

 falling to the ground, if blown at all by the winds, will be caught in these 

 furrows and in that way saved to the pastures, (2) that the storm waters 

 falling on such pastures, instead of being allowed to waste by running off into 

 creeks and bottoms, will also be caught in the furrows. 



This work was done in May, 1899. By June 30 the furrows had caught a 

 great many seeds, and, as the result of surface irrigation incident to the rain 

 having been collected in them, the grass immediately proximate to such furrows 

 was much greener and more vigorous than that farther away. Indeed, in ap- 

 proaching the pasture so treated the furrows could easily be traced by the 

 eye a half mile away by their fresh, green appearance. 



This first attempt at pasture furrowing in the Plains was conducted 

 for only a brief period, but it indicated the possibilities of combining 

 artificial reseeding with the control of run-off waters. 



A large number of native grasses were seeded in the spring and fall 

 of 1937 on sand and "hard-land" pastures in the vicinity of Wood- 

 ward, Okla. The seedings were broadcast, close-drilled and in rows, 

 at different depths and rates, on untreated sage land and on land 

 upon which the sage had been grubbed, mowed, and disked. Some 

 of the seedings were protected from, and others were exposed to, 

 grazing. Fair to excellent initial stands were obtained in most in- 

 stances, but with a very few isolated exceptions, all the spring seed- 

 ings failed during the summer as a result of extremely severe 

 drought, numerous grasshoppers, and competition from the older 

 plants and associated weeds. In September 1937, 10 species of grass 



