18 BULLETIN 588, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 
therefore, approximately 27 acres of the combined types, or. 21 
acres of grama-grass type alone, will furnish 365 animal-days’ feed 
per year, for yearlings and above, over a period of years, provided 
it is stocked at not more than one-half this rate during July, August, 
September, and most of October. in case of prolonged drought, 
supplemental feed will probably be necessary. Conditions resulting 
from extremely prolonged drought should be met by some plan 
similar to that suggested under prevention of losses, rather than by 
greatly understocking over a period of years. 
‘UNFENCED RANGE. 
A rough classification was made of unfenced range ' joming Pas- 
ture 2 and similar in character. Of approximately 98,530 acres, 
about 66,485 is grama-grass type, and the remainder of other range 
types of less grazing value than the grama grass. The best infor- 
mation available indicates that this area has been grazed by a yearly 
average of about 3,750 head of cattie, yearlings and over, an aver- 
age of 26.3 acres per head for all types. One acre of the grama-grass 
range was estimated as equal to 24 acres of the other types. On 
this basis the total of 98,530 acres would be equivalent to 80,725 
acres of grama grass, or an average of 21.53 acres per head. 
This range was considered overstocked at least 25 per cent for the 
quantity of feed it produces, te say nothing of the absence of a chance 
to recuperate. The estimated carrying capacity for the area as a 
whole in its present condition, therefore, is about 35 acres per heed, 
and for the grama-grass type 27.9 acres per head. The estimated 
carrying capacity of grama-grass renge in Pesture 2 of the Reserve ~ 
is 20.76 acres per head, or 34.4 per cent greater than that of tls 
outside range of similar character. _ 
In the discussion of range improvement by natural reseedrg it 
was shown that the total amount of vegetation on this outside range 
is only 70.3 per cent of that in Pasture 2, and the goed forage only 
49 per cent, and the conclusion was drawn that Pasture 2 has in- 
creased approximately 50 per cent in forage-producing capacity since 
1913. This apparent discrepancy between the conclusion relative to 
the two ranges based upon vegetation studies alone and that based ~ 
on the number of stock actually carried is accounted for by several 
facts. First, the stock in Pasture 2 have been carried in good condi- 
tion, and poor cows have actually improved during critical periods 
of the year. Stock on the outside range have merely been carried 
over, with some loss from starvation. Second, the estimates of sur- 
plus feed in Pasture 2 were purposely low, and the estimates of over- 
stocking on outside range were likewise low. Further, the data as 
to number of stock on the outside range are estimates only. 
: : The range here referred tois described under the chapter on range improvement by natural reyegeta- 
on, page 5. : 
