28 MISC. PUBLICATION 9 0, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



places has ceased and the denuded ground is being reclaimed by 

 plants. The stock are in good flesh and seem contented. 



Proper stocking of ranges is stocking with such numbers and at 

 such seasons that good ranges will remain such and depleted ranges 

 will improve. Few are the range areas that are producing a maxi- 

 mum amount of forage. Most ranges now being grazed produce less 

 forage than they would do under natural conditions. It is a well- 

 established fact, however, that ranges can be improved while being 

 grazed. Sometimes better management of the stock on the range 

 will bring about improvement. Sometimes it is necessary to hold 

 stock off the range until later in the spring, or to reduce the number 

 of stock. The latter method may mean less livestock production 

 for a short time, but the resulting increased carrying capacity of 

 the range will soon make it possible to carry more stock and to take 

 fat stock from the range. 



Figure 11. — Studying plant vigor at the Iiitermountain Forest and Range Experi- 

 ment Station. Plants are clipped at different frequencies to determine the results 



It has been demonstrated that clipping plants after they are well 

 started in the spring, and then again toward the end of the season, 

 does not affect the vigor of the plants. (Fig. 11.) Sometimes 

 under good range management plants can be clipped even three 

 times during a season without being injured, if the intervals between 

 the clippings are not too short. 



Often under actual range conditions the number of times the 

 plants are clipped can not be controlled. The essential thing is not 

 to stock so heavily that the livestock may have to eat the plants off 

 again and again^ in order to get enough food. Neither should 

 ranges be so heavily stocked as to prevent seeding. Experience has 

 pretty well demonstrated that if about 25 per cent of the volume of 

 the most palatable plants is left at the time the seeds are ripe, suffi- 

 cient seeding can take place. 



Grazing affects browse plants a little differently from the way it 

 does other plants. Not only is the foliage cropped, but the twigs are 



