INTRODUCTION. Gh, 
the total increased to 25.84 inches, still 4.16 inches less than normal. 
During the last year of the work the total was 31.31 inches, over 1.31 
inches above normal. The work, therefore, was inaugurated under 
local conditions that were very unfavorable for good results. In the 
detailed report to follow it will be explained how such conditions 
militated against the work and prevented the best results; and yet, on 
the whole, the results actually secured were encouraging, and demon- 
strated the practicability of reclaiming the worn-out ranges within 
a reasonable time and at an expense that should not discourage 
farmers and stockmen. Up to within a few years past the average 
farmers and stockmen of the Southwest were little inclined to adopt 
any other than ‘‘the old regulation methods” of farming and handling 
live stock that had been in vogue ‘‘ since the time when the memory 
of man runneth not to the contrary,” as the old law books stated 
the idea. In other words, the ‘‘book farmer” was looked upon by 
the regulation or orthodox farmer as ‘‘a crank,” a visionary sort 
of creature to be respected for his enthusiasm, but to be avoided in 
matters of business. He was deemed impractical by the men who 
prided themselves on being ‘‘ practical farmers,” but who were con- 
stantly putting into practice methods that for all practical purposes 
were ‘out of date” and wrong. Fortunately, the farmer who reads, 
studies, experiments, and adopts scientifically correct methods is no 
longer sneered at by those who are less advanced than he. They are 
still slow to accept his advice and adopt his methods, even when they 
must see or recognize their superiority to the old-time methods. In 
good time, however, they will accept his way of thinking and doing, 
and though their apparent lack of interest in the more advanced 
methods of farming is somewhat discouraging to those who are will- 
ing to aid them, nevertheless, year by year, a large per cent of them 
are reading, studying, and experimenting for themselves. In like 
manner, stockmen who, a few years ago, were satisfied to follow the 
**seven and six” plans of the old times, are beginning to realize the 
common sense in the latter methods, and are manifesting a strong 
inclination to adopt the up-to-date ways. 
During the first year of the work under consideration a large num- 
ber of farmers and stockmen of central Texas called at the grass and 
forage plant station ‘‘to see what they could see.” Notafew of them 
were emphatic in their expressions of disapproval. During the last 
year of the work much interest was manifested in it, and though much 
too small a number of those who have followed and approved of the 
work, and now testify to the practical results secured, have concluded 
to adopt similar methods on their own properties, it is believed that 
many others will adopt them later. As one stockman said in the 
autumn of 1900, *‘Seeing is believing, and a half-blind man can see 
that this range is the best in this section, while before the Govern- 
