RANGE MANAGEMENT ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 



61 



(2) Under the practice of yearlong or season-long grazing, the growth of 

 the plants and seed production are seriously interfered with. A range so used, 

 when stocked to its full capacity, finally becomes denuded. 



(3) Grazing after seed maturity in no way interferes with flower-stalk 

 production. As much fertile seed is produced as where the vegetation is pro- 

 tected from grazing during the whole of the year. 



(4) Deferred grazing (grazing after seed maturity) insures the planting 

 of the seed crop and the permanent establishment of seedling plants without 

 sacrificing the season's forage or establishing a fire hazard. 



(5) Deferred grazing can be applied wherever the vegetation remains pal- 

 atable after seed maturity and produces a seed crop, provided ample water 

 facilities for stock exist or may be developed. 



(6) Yearlong protection against grazing of the range favors plant growth 

 and seed production, but does not insure the planting of the seed. Moreover, 

 it is impracticable, because of the entire loss of the forage crop and the fire 

 danger resulting from the accumulation of inflammable material. 



Excessive damage from grazing during the early part of the grow- 

 ing period is largely avoided if grazing does not begin until the main 

 forage grasses are in the boot. But between this opening date and 

 the time of seed maturity of these same plants there is a period of 

 about six weeks, during which continuous grazing year after year 

 on a fully stocked range would materially weaken the forage plants 

 and result in range deterioration. The system of deferred and rota- 

 tion grazing aims to minimize the injury from grazing during this 

 period (1) by having each portion of the range bear its s&are of the 

 early grazing and (2) by protecting each portion of the range in its 

 turn until after seed maturity, so that the main forage plants will 

 regain their vigor and reproduce either from seed or vegetatively. 



Suppose, for example, that the grazing season on a range unit or 

 range allotment covers the period from May 1 to October 31 and 

 that the vegetation is similar in character and the period of growth 

 about the same throughout the unit, with the seed of the main forage 

 plants maturing September 1. To apply a deferred and rotation 

 grazing system, the unit might be divided into three parts of about 

 equal grazing capacity, in a way to give the best distribution of water 

 and shade and the best control of stock on each third. 



Suppose the third most in need of improvement is numbered 1, the 

 one second in need of improvement numbered 2, and the third divi- 

 sion numbered 3. The order of deferred grazing for a period of six 

 years should then be as follows : 



Year. 



Area No. 1. 



Area No. 2. 



Area No. 3 



1919 



Sept. 1 to Oct. 31 



July 1 to Aug. 31 



May 1 to June 30. 



1920 



do 





July 1 to Aug. 31. 

 May 1 to June 30. 

 July 1 to Aug. 31. 



1921 



July 1 to Aug. 31.. 



Sept. lto Oct. 31 



1922 



May 1 to June 30 



do 



1923 



do 



July 1 to Aug. 31 



Sept. 1 to Oct. 31. 

 Do. 



1924 



July 1 to Aug. 31 



May 1 to June 30 . 



1925 to 19301 

















Repeat order of grazing for 1919 to 1924. 



