46 BULLETIN 1031, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
two-thirds of the maximum grazing capacity as the basis of the per- 
manent breeding herd 50 per cent should be used in future. This 
percentage, about 2,000 head,? will be made up almost entirely of 
cows of breeding age, bulls, saddle and work stock, and perhaps 
about 3 per cent of heifers selected to replace loss and such cows as 
must be removed from the herd on account of injury or other causes. 
With this number of stock and percentage of total stock for the 
breeding herd combined with the data contained in figure 8, figure 
9 has been prepared to show the breeding herd, the stock other than 
breeding stock, and the total stock in relation to maximum condition 
of the grama-grass range as shown by protected areas for the respec- 
tive years. 
Figure 9 applies to the reserve for the period 1915 to 1919, in- 
clusive. This covers conditions in the more nearly average year of 
1915, which was about five years after the drought of 1908-1910 
had broken and through the drought of 1916-1918. From data and 
observations as to conditions from 1910 to 1915 and from the precipi- 
tation records shown in figures 2 and 3 there is probability at least 
that the curve for total grazing capacity for 1920 to 1923, inclusive, 
will be approximately the reverse of the grazing-capacity curve 
shown in figure 9 for 1915 to 1918, inclusive. If the climate con- 
tinues in cycles as in the past there will probably be another drought 
about 1924. The future management of the Jornada Range Reserve 
will be based upon these two assumptions. The breeding herd came 
through the drought of 1916-1918 with nearly enough good young 
breeding cows for the permanent breeding herd recommended. The 
question now is to decide what class of stock should be kept to use the 
gradually increasing surplus range forage up to 1924, or up to the 
next drought, and at what age to dispose of the excess stock produced. 
SURPLUS STOCK SHOULD VARY WITH RANGE FORAGE PRODUCTION AND WITH 
THE MARKET. 
As shown in figures 8 and 9, after the permanent breeding herd 
recommended is taken care of there will be surplus forage varying 
from nothing at the worst of the expected drought to 50 per cent of 
the total for a given range unit about 3 to 5 years after a drought is 
broken, and possibly more in a period of exceptionally good years. 
This, of course, assumes that the range is to be properly managed so 
that it will recover. 
12 Originally the pasture in the San Andres Mountains was included as part of the 
area to be used by breeding and other permanent stock of the reserve in time of drought, 
the surplus forage being used by horses and extra stock in good years. Because of the 
extremely rough topography and rocky surface, poor success was obtained in trying to 
use this area by stock accustomed to the level ground where there were no rocks. Conse- 
quently the plan for the future is to use this area for horses and steers or other stock 
that are placed in the mountains as yearlings and left there long enough to become 
accustomed to the rough country, and not as part of the breeding area proper. 
