WILL MORE FORAGE PAY? 77 



Plain? now predominantly devoted to extensive types of farming. It 

 is unlikely that these newer areas will shift to the production of 

 specialty crops to the extent that is true of the older irrigated areas. 

 Physical and economic limitations are likely to mean a greater propor- 

 tion of forage and feed crops and more livestock production in such 

 areas. Much of the newly irrigated land will be integrated with the 

 economy of surrounding or adjacent dryland areas on which livestock 

 are important sources of farm income. The rapidly expanding popu- 

 lation in the far West, together with its increasing demand for live- 

 stock and livestock products coupled with a decreasing postwar mar- 

 ket for certain specialty crops, will also help to encourage larger 

 acreages of irrigated pastures in the West Coast States. 



In the arid regions of the West soils are usually low in organic 

 matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Mixed grasses and legumes supply 

 organic matter and nitrogen and render such soils less susceptible to 

 crusting under irrigation. Inclusion of forages in irrigated crop rota- 

 tions is an absolute necessity if soil structure and fertility are to be 

 maintained and improved. In the past farmers have not been fully 

 aware of the value of irrigated pastures in crop rotations. Many have 

 relied largely on unirrigated range and low. wet areas for grazing. 

 In range areas irrigated pastures may be used to supplement range- 

 improvement practices. They may be grazed while portions of the 

 range are rested or artificially reseeded. After desirable perennials 

 have set seed, livestock may be turned back on the range to scatter 

 and trample the seeds into the ground. 



ON THE PACIFIC COAST 



Irrigated pastures in California have increased from only a few 

 small acreages in the 1930's to around 500,000 acres in 1948. On land 

 unsuited for alfalfa, such as hardpan soils, irrigated pastures provide 

 good-quality forage at low costs. Many California farmers on the 

 better soils have developed irrigated pastures after seeing what could 

 be done with them on the poorer soils. In anticipation that lower 

 postwar prices for fruits, beans, and other specialty crops may attract 

 additional farmers to irrigated pastures, research is under way on the 

 development of grass mixtures that will utilize the better and deeper 

 soils to a maximum degree. Only improved pastures of high produc- 

 tivity will be able to compete with the more intensive uses of high- 

 priced irrigated land. 



Production of range beef in California has decreased due to reduc- 

 tions in quantity and quality of the range. This, combined with large 

 increases in population, has made California a deficit beef-producing 

 State. At the same time the demand for beef of better quality has 

 increased. This State is presently importing 500,000 head of cattle 

 and around 1,000,000 sheep annually. Irrigated pastures may con- 

 tribute toward making up this deficit and much range in the' State 

 is capable of irrigation. It is estimated that the carrying capacity of 

 the 500,000 acres of irrigated pastures in California is somewhat 

 greater than the 8,868,000 acres of national forest land grazed in 

 that State. Large numbers of cattle and lambs are shipped into Cali- 

 fornia to be finished on irrigated pasture before slaughter. 



In the valleys of western Oregon and Washington, although average 

 annual precipitation is relatively high, the summer months are usually 



