4 BULLETIN 1170, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



tinuous system of grazing, they did not cover the most important 

 phase of the grazing problem from the standpoint of the native vege- 

 tation. A continuous system of grazing does not take into considera- 

 tion the full requirements of plant growth, nor does it afford the 

 maximum utilization of the vegetation without the serious effects, 

 both to the cattle and the vegetation, attendant upon close grazing. 





^OSPttES^ 



-X — X — XXX 



HAY LAND 



XXX — XXX 



lUSj) 

 X X 



-X— X — X — X— 



Fig. 1. — Field plan of the pastures used in the cooperative grazing experiment : T, Isola- 

 tion transect ; Q, mapped quadrats ; C, corrals and water trough ; W, deep well ; M, 

 mowing experiment. 



The United States Department of Agriculture has for a number 

 of years been conducting investigations in connection with grazing 

 problems. The benefits to the vegetation of " rest periods " and the 

 " alternation of pastures " have been advocated for some years, 1 and 

 as early as 1895 rotation grazing was discussed as follows : 



Clearly, then, if the grazing quality of the ranges is to be improved, they 

 must be so treated that the nutritious native species of grasses and forage 



1 Smith, Jared G. Grazing problems in the Southwest and how to meet them. U. S. 

 Dept. Agr., Div. Agros., Bui. 16, 47 p., 9 figs. 1899. 



Cotton, J. S. Range management. In Yearbook, U. S. Dept. Agr., 1906, pp. 225-238, 

 pi. 12. 1907. 



