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DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



except it should be grazed moderately. If the original vegetation was vig- 

 orous this area may be grazed early in the season of the third year and 

 a second area chosen for protection and reseeding. If, however, the original 

 vegetation was badly overgrazed one or two years of protection are neces- 

 sary before the vegetation regains its vigor sufficiently to produce fertile 

 seed. In such case the rotation must be on the basis of three or four years' 

 protection until seed maturity. 



When the first area has been thoroughly reseeded it is grazed early 

 and a second area set aside for protection and natural reseeding. This 

 alternation between early and late grazing is continued not only until each 

 portion of the range has been revegetated, but afterward, in order to main- 

 tain the vegetation in vigorous condition and provide for an occasional seed 

 crop being planted. 



This plan of management has been gradually extended to both sheep 

 and cattle ranges during the past four years and careful studies, supple- 

 mented by general observations made to determine the comparative im- 

 provement in the range under this system, under total protection against 

 grazing and under the old common practice of grazing at large throughout 

 the season year after year without regard to the stage of development of 

 the vegetation. The essential conclusions are as follows: 



1. Under the old system where the stock graze at large over the 

 whole range throughout the season, the choice vegetation is interfered 

 with by continued clipping prior to full development and the inferior 

 species are left to the last and thus given a chance to maintain vigor and 

 produce seed. If this system is continued on a well stocked or heavily 

 stocked range the choice perennial species gradually decrease in vigor, 

 produce less and less foliage, and do not reproduce, while the inferior 

 species increase as a result of the unfair competition. The inevitable result 

 is a continued decrease in carrying capacity of the range. This is what 

 took place on many of the bunch grass hills and short grass valleys and 

 plateaus in Western ranges in the past, and is still taking place to no little 

 extent on public domain range and many privately owned lands. 



2. Under year long protection from grazing, vegetation previously 

 overgrazed readily recuperates, produces seed, and reproduces vegetation 

 to a limited extent, but reproduction from seed under this system is limited 

 primarily to inferior species having seeds provided with barbs or awns, 

 such as those of porcupine grasses and foxtails, which enable the seed to 

 plant itself naturally. In addition to securing vegetation very slowly from 

 seed under yearlong protection the forage crop is lost through non-use; 

 the old foliage accumulates on the ground, making the range less desirable 

 the following year by decreasing the amount of tender foliage available; 

 and the accumulation of inflammable material is a fire menace. 



3. The system of deferred and rotation grazing as here outlined, 

 where the forage is used after seed maturity, accomplishes all that total 

 protection does in restoring the vigor of the vegetation, and the production 

 of a fertile seed crop. 



In addition, the forage is utilized with but little or no loss; there is no 



