, 1884-03-26
CATTLE RAISING.
A Brief History of the Industry on the
Plains.

One Of the most complete and yet brief
est history of the origin of cattle raising
on the plains hat we have seen is the pa
per by Col. A. T. Babbitt, the efficient
general manager of the Standard Cattle
company. His paper is devoted (D to
the grazing interest; l2l the beef supply.
The LEADER takes pleasure in quoting
the first part of the paper for this issue:
THE history of the grazing business on
the great plains of North America is the
history ola phenomenon. Its inception
scarcely ante-dating the completion of the
Union Pacific railroad, may be said to be
the. result of accident.
During the period following the discoy-
cry of gold in Colorado in 1859, and pre-
ceding the completion of the Union Pa
ciic railroad in 1869, the traditional ''bull
train" constituted the almost sole means
of freight transportation from the Missou-
ri river westward, and the trips made by
these trains were usually so ordered as to
enable the stock to winterin the states, -
and within corn-growing districts. In the
autumn of 1866, however, an OK train, be-
longing to Alex. Majors, of the famous
freighting firm of Russell, Waddell & Ma
jors, was belated, and falling in with ear
ly and severe winter storms. a return trip
was rendered impracticable. Neither hay
nor grain being available, the oxen, foot
sore and poor in flesh, were turned out to
shirk for themselves, while the owner,
turning his back upon them, sought such
winter quarters and comforts as he might,
with no thought of again seeing the luck
less brutes which he had left to perish.
But with spring came the miracle of a
well preserved ox-train, and a demonstra-
ton of the wonderful properties of grama,
or buffalo grass, which, with rest and free
dom of range, had brought these animals,
with increase offlesh, through a winter of
unusual severity.
During the same winter an OK train be-
longing to Wells, Fargo & Co., freighting
to Fort Phil Kearney, was in like manner
detained, and through that winter were
utilized by the garrison of hat military
post in the form of paIatable roasts and
f%llets, This buffalo or grama grass is
indigenous to the soil, and grows in great
abundance spontaneously, in all these re-
gions, and possesses a n%utritive and sus-
tanning quality of the very highest order,
exceeding that of domesticated grasses,
and is peculiarly adapted to the raising of
stock.
Nature has most wisely provided for its
complete utilization. The spring and
summer rains, which promote its growth,
cease about the first of August, during
which month land before the appearance
of FROST under the influence of the sum
mer sun, these grasses cure on the
stock, retaining their nutrive qualities, in
which form they are the equivalent of hay
artificially cured.
One ofthe marvels to the uninitiated is
how this sole staple of food and susten-
ance for grazing animals is to be relied
upon through the winter months and
when snow makes its appearance. The
reply is, first, in nearly the entire area re-
ferred to the annual rainfall averages but
eleven to twelve inches. scarcely more
than one-fourth of that east. of the line
usually termed the rain belt" 0fthis
minimum of moisture, snow falls in rela-
lively small proportions. Secondly, with
the dry atmosphere of these attitudes,
snow is dryer and is readily drifted by pre-
%vailing winds, which insure the exposure
of portions of the range even after the
heaviest SHOWS experienced.
From such accidental tests of the mer-
its of these grasses for grazing purposes,
as | have referred to, followed naturally
the conclusion that if oxen thus worn and
jaded could prosperously winter on these
ranges, breeding herds Certified by such
stores of fat as summer grazing was well
known to bestow) would enter upon the
winter with vastly superior relative advan-
tage.
Such conclusions were natural and logi-
cal when we reflect that these plains have
been the grazing grounds-the home. of
the buffalo, elk, antelope and other gram
nivorous animals. Millions have come
and gone forever; and if, in a state of ma
ture, these countless numbers could be
propagated, and sustained through ages,
perhaps, what were the possibilities of the
future with the fostering and intelligent
care of man?