2 BULLETIN 628, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 
grazing; (c) the summer fattening of steers on grass and cotton- 
seed cake; and (d) the winter fattening of beef cattle. 
The significance of these problems to the stock grower under the 
conditions mentioned will be brought out clearly in the discussions 
which follow. It is strikingly illustrated in the division dealing with 
the wintering of steers on grass. TYnen there is not enough feed 
available for wintering as many cattle as can be grazed during the 
summer, the farmer is losing money, for all his grass can not be 
utilized during the grazing season. The experiments have proved 
beyond a doubt that steers can be wintered most satisfactorily on 
specially prepared winter pastures, and at a cost from 30 to 50 per 
cent less than upon the common farm roughages. This indicates the 
importance of improved methods of handling cattle and the possi- 
bilities of the mountains for cattle raising. 
The importance more particularly of the pasture work in the 
mountainous part of Xorth Carolina and of surrounding States can 
not be overemphasized, considering the possibilities of winter and 
summer pasture development. The large areas of cut-over timber 
lands, such as those used for the winter pastures in this experimental 
work, would accommodate large herds of beef cattle if properly seeded. 
Winter pastures and corn silage for winter maintenance will solve 
many of the difficulties of the cattle grower. The mountainous con- 
dition of the region makes the production of stockers and feeders 
especially practicable because of the larger amounts of pasture that 
can be utilized and the minimum of winter feeds necessary for the 
maintenance and growth of such cattle. This may be appreciated by 
those not acquainted with local conditions by stating that in many 
of the mountain counties but 5 to 10 per cent of the land can be 
cultivated, and much of this is hillsides or steep land that should be 
in grass. The fattening of cattle is less practicable because of the 
greater amounts of feeds necessary. Where feeds have to be shipped 
in by rail, as is usually the case with the concentrates, the distance 
from the railroad stations makes this practice prohibitive for many 
farmers. 
These statements in the main illustrate the conditions under which 
the work was carried on and why certain parts of it were so outlined 
and emphasized. Although much of this work will be of value to 
stock growers in the Piedmont or lower mountain sections, its value 
is more pertinent to the mountain areas of the section shown in the 
outline map. (See fig. 1.) 
KIND OF STEERS USED. 
The steers used in this work were all native cattle raised in western 
North Carolina. They were a good uniform lot of grade Shorthorn. 
Aberdeen Angus, and Hereford breeding with a little Devon blood 
