18 RANGE IMPROVEMENT IN CENTRAL TEXAS. 
promise that definite, tangible results on similar lines, of much benefit 
to the farmers and stockmen of central Texas, would be secured as the 
result of further experiments. In the matter of the efforts to secure 
range improvement as the result of harrowing and disking three of the 
80-acre pastures, it was suggested that they had proven satisfactory 
and justified the belief that a rapid increase in the quantity of grass 
on the overstocked pastures was practically assured. 
This work was done during March and April, and the rainfall 
during May (2.60 inches) was satisfactory to the extent that notwith- 
standing the hot weather heretofore mentioned the grass in the three 
pastures was very much better than that in the station pastures not 
treated and in those in the same neighborhood outside of the station. 
In two of the pastures a disk harrow was used which every 4 inches 
cut furrows from 8 to 6 inches deep, as the surface of the ground 
was harder or softer, or gravelly, or free from gravel. In the other 
pasture treated an ordinary iron-tooth harrow was used, heavily 
weighted at times, the effect being to scarify the surface as thoroughly 
as possible. There was rather a heavy growth of mesquite trees 
growing in each of the pastures, and it was not possible, therefore, to 
cut into every acre of the ground. 
In this connection it may be well to explain that the theory on which 
this work of harrowing was done was: (1) That by cutting into the 
ground by disk or harrow teeth the grass roots would not necessarily 
be injured, but on the other hand would be given a better chance for 
development through the looser ground below the surface; (2) the 
surface runners from the grasses would be given softer ground in 
which to take root readily; (3) the storm waters would .be saved 
instead of being allowed to run off into the lower places, and thence 
into the creek beds and rivers, and the rain would go into the ground 
where it fell and directly to the grass roots; (4) seed beds would be 
made in which the grass seeds, as they fell to the ground, or were 
blown over the hard ground elsewhere by the winds, would be arrested 
and find suitable places in which to germinate. 
Notwithstanding the drought of 1898, there was a very marked 
improvement in the conditions of the several pastures treated. During 
the latter part of March, 1899, just one year from the first inspection 
above mentioned, Messrs. Middleton, Parramore, and Bryan made a 
second inspection of the station and unanimously reported that the con- 
ditions during the year had improved so that the section of 640 acres, 
taken asa whole, had in March, 1899, a capacity to support mixed cattle 
at the rate of 1 head to every 10 acres, or 64 head to the section. Dur- 
ing the next month Messrs. Middleton and Bryan made another visit 
to the station, again carefully inspected the pastures, and reported that 
the capacity of the section for mixed cattle was then at the rate of 1 
head to every 8 acres, or 80 head to the section. This was after the 
