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MISC. PUBLICATION 9 0, IT. S. DEPT. OP AGRICULTURE 



ranges, until the lower zones of the mountain ranges are ready for 

 grazing. (Fig. 14.) When stock are turned on these lower zones, 

 all practical steps, such as effective herding, proper salting, the con- 

 struction of drift fences, and the development of watering places 

 should be taken to keep the stock on the lower zones until the higher 

 range is ready for grazing. 



WHEN STOCK SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RANGE 



Ordinarily stock must be removed from the deserts in the spring 

 when the snow goes, and from the low foothill ranges when the water 

 dries up or when the ranges become hot and dry. Stock must be 

 removed from the higher mountains before the heavy snows come. 

 It is advisable to remove them from the high ranges before the 

 fall storms come, because much injury results from trampling the 



Figure 14. — Low foothill range in Utah. Range like this should be utilized in the 

 spring while the higher range is getting ready for grazing 



plants after these storms. The amount and condition of forage 

 should be considered, and grazing should cease before the better 

 forage plants are injured. (Fig. 15.) 



DEFERRED AND ROTATION GRAZING AND ARTIFICIAL RESEEDING 



Most range plants do not live long even under normal conditions, 

 and if the forage resource is to be perpetuated new plants must 

 replace the old. Some plants normally live one year; some two 

 years; some more than two years. Fires, rodents, extreme cold, 

 extreme heat, drought, and overgrazing cut short the life of plants. 

 Even under the best conditions, grazing causes the death of some 

 plants. 



The cropping of seed stalks and the nipping off of flowers are 

 very apparent ways in which plant reproduction is affected by graz- 

 ing. Livestock, especially sheep, have a special liking for the flowers 

 of some plants. Naturally, many of the seed stalks and flowers are 

 eaten along with the foliage, except in a relatively few cases where 

 the seed stalks are rather coarse and tough, 



