WILL MORE FORAGE PAY? 



71 



scs 



Figure 10. — On Wyoming short-grass range, pitting stimulates growth of tall 

 midseason grasses which hold the snow in place, furnishes greater protection 

 against evaporation, and increases the supply of early grass ; A. This retaining 

 snow cover is on a pitted range: B, this picture, taken the same day. shows 

 the absence of snow on an adjacent tract that was not pitted. 



Because of climatic conditions, experimental research on range re- 

 seeding in the Southwest has been slow, tedious, and often disappoint- 

 ing. Many methods of range reseeding have been tried and discarded. 

 This is an area of relatively poor soils and extremely low precipitation, 

 most of which occurs during the summer months. Large areas <>[' 

 range have been overgrazed and since the turn of the century exten- 

 sive areas of range in west Texas. New Mexico, and Arizona have been 

 invaded by such shrubs as mesquite, juniper, cholla cactus, and bur- 

 roweed. Most of these are tree- or wood-type plans that require con- 

 siderable moisture. By reducing the stands of forage they have 

 accelerated soil erosion and reduced grazing capacity. "Various 

 methods, all comparatively expensive and only partially effective, for 

 controlling and eradicating noxious range plants have been attempted 

 during the last 10 or 15 years in the Southwest; but basic research as 

 to how these plants grow and the processes by which they are able 

 to invade and develop into stands on grassland areas has been mainly 

 lacking." 8 Many of these areas are so badly deteriorated that natural 

 revegetation is not practicable and they must be artificially reseeded 

 but procedures which give assurance of success at reasonable cost are 

 not yet available for most of these ranges. 



An important range grass in the semidesert areas of Xew Mexico 

 and Arizona is black grama, a native species. Its greatest draw-back 

 is its poor seeding habits, which make restoration of deteriorated 

 range of this type through natural revegetation difficult, inasmuch as 

 it isnecessary to depend almost wholly on the establishment of runners. 

 These ranges may be restored by reseeding to Lehmann lovegrass or 



s Letter from the Director. Southwestern Forest and flange Experiment Station. 

 Tucson, Ariz., July G, 1948. 



