USE OF ANNUAL PLANTS IN CALIFORNIA FOOTHILLS 



31 



Table 6. — Degrees of utilization in six grazing-intensity pastures, San 

 Joaquin Experimental Range, 1937-47 



Year 



Pasture 

 3 



Pasture 

 1 



Pasture 

 5 



Pasture 

 4 



Pasture 

 6 



Pasture 

 2 



1937 



Very close. 



Close 



Close 



Moderate _ 



Moderate 

 to light. 



Light to 

 moderate. 



1938 



Close 



Moderate 

 to close. 



Moderate 

 to close. 



Moderate 

 to light. 



Light 



Light. 



1939 



Very close. 



Close to 



moderate. 



__do 



do 



__do 



Do. 



1940 



Close 



Moderate 

 to close. 



Moderate _ 



Light to 

 moderate. 



Light to 

 moderate. 



Do. 



1941 



__-_do 



____do 



____do 



--__do 



Light 



Do. 



1942 



_.__do 



do 



__-_do 



-__-do 



__.do___ 



Light to 

 moderate. 



1943 



....do 



Moderate _ 



Moderate 

 to light. 



__--do 



..-.do 



Light. 



1944 



Very close _ 



Close to 

 moderate. 



Moderate _ 



Moderate _ 



Moderate 

 to light. 



Light to 

 moderate. 



1945 



Close. _ 



Moderate 

 to close. 



Moderate 

 to light. 



Light 



Light 



Light. 



1946 



___-do 



Moderate _ 



__do 



Light to 

 moderate. 



.__do-_ 



Do. 



1947 



Very close. 



Close to 

 moderate. 



Moderate _ 



Moderate 

 to light. 



Light to 

 moderate. 



Light to 

 moderate. 



Aver- 

 age. _ 



Close 



Moderate 

 to close. 



Moderate _ 



Light to 



moderate. 



Light 



Light. 



The planned procedure was to remove the cattle from the pastures at 

 variable dates from year to year, depending on herbage yields, in order 

 to obtain somewhat the same degree of grazing each year in any given 

 pasture. It was found impractical to follow this procedure in all years. 

 In years of low herbage production the pastures were grazed closer than 

 average (table 6), especially in 1937 and 1939 when the cattle were kept 

 in the pastures until August. During the last 5 years (1943-47) the cattle 

 were removed earlier than in previous years; even so, grazing was some- 

 what closer than average in 1944 and 1947. The experience in stocking 

 emphasized the need for flexibility in ranch stocking if utilization of the 

 fluctuating herbage crop is to be kept within narrow limits. 



The utilization of the pastures at the end of the approximate 6-month 

 season for an 11-year average included five different degrees of grazing. 

 There were three basic degrees; close, moderate, and light. When the 

 average utilization of a pasture in any year did not fit one of these three, 

 intermediate ratings were used; for example, "moderate to close'' in- 



