Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1885-06-18

last year about 100000 head were
| driven north from Texas and 625, 900
were sent north and east over rail-
roads. 1t is claimed that cows IN
Texas are more prolific breeders than
in any other part OF the world. Ow-
ing To the mildncss Of the climate and
the abundance IF grass, calves dropped
at any month in the year generally do
we'll They breed early and continue
to rear calves TIL late in life. A hun
drcd cows can be relied on to raise
ninety calves n year. Probably the
free life led by the cattle for many
generations has cXcrtod a powerful in
iucnCG in causing them 10 be prolific.
Whatever faults they may have as
mixers or rs producers of fine beef,
they are certainly active, healthy, and
vigorous.
The raising of cattle on what are
famillarly known as the great
plains, which extend from Texas to
Montana, is of very recent date. The
discovery Of the capabilities of this
area for grazing purposes is said TO
have been accidental. The history of
this important discovery is thus stated
by Mr.. Theodore j. McMinn, of St.
Louis: Early in December, 1864,
government trader, with wagon
train Of supplies drawn by oxen, was
on his way west to Camp Douglas, in
the territory OF Utah; but on being
oycrtakon on the Laramie plains by an
unusually severe nOw-stOrm, he was
compelled at once to 90 into winter
quarters He turned his cattle adrift,
expecting, rs Il matter Of course, they
would soon perish from exposure and
starvation. But they remained about
the camp, and, as the snow was blown
oil the highlands, the dry grass afford
ed them abundance Of forage. When
the spring opened they were found to
be in even better condition than when
turned out to die four months previous
ly. This discovery led to the purchase
OF stock cattle in Texas to be maturcd
and iattcncd ON the northern ranges,
and the trade has steadily grown to its
present enormous proportions, accGl-
Grated greatly during the past fifteen
wears by the building Of the various
railroads in the north and west. Soon
after this discovery Of the possibilities
of the great dry area OF the north
for paSturagC, the range and ranch
cattle trade Of Texas dcbOuchcd upon
a territory three times as large as its
original habitat. The growth of the
business has been one of the marvclS
of this arvclOuS are and country.
The well known fact that for ages the
buffalo has lhriycn during the winter
in Montana, Dakota. Idaho, and wv
oming on natural grasses also inspired
confidence that cattle grazing on the
more nOrthcrly ranges would be sue.
CcSslul. The number of range and
ranch cattle north Of Texas and east of
/ the Rocky mountains is estimated at
| 7,jOO.OOO. The number in Wyoming
Is placed at 2,OoO,OOO.
The capacity of the range and ranch
lands of the United States for grazing
cattle differs widely in the several
/ states. territories, and sections as the
/ result OF differences in the, quantity
and quality Of nutritious grasses pro-
7 duccd, the water supply, and the OK.
/ tent 10 which natural shelter is avail
able for .cattlc during storms. In
| Texas from five to thirty acres Of land
/ per head are required, and on the
northern ranges almost the same diff.
/ ference are observable in different To-
caiticS.
| The ultimate limit OF the capacity
| Of the entire range and rnnch.cattle
area of the United States for grazing
/ and the magnitude Of its possible an
nual product can only be asccrtained
from the results of experience 1t is
| evident from the hest available nfOr-
| nation, that the number Of cattle on
ranches and ranges in Texas might he
| greatly increased. Mr.. George B.
| Loving, of Fort Worth, Tex, expresses
the opinion that by providing rcScr-
vorS, sinking artcSian wells, aud de-
stroying the prairie dogs, which, in
certain parts of the state, consume
| larger quantity Of the nutritious grass
Is than is consumed by cattle, the
number of range and ranch cattle pas
/ turcd in that state might perhaps bo
doubled II is impossible nj the pres
] ont timp pVpn nnnrpNimniplv tn nsti.
motc thr nrnnoriinn nf Tho ov,ilohlo
rance lands in thr northern nnrt NJ
th" rrrnt dry orro which are rs vet
unoccupird. or tho extent to which tho
supply of grasses within the nominallv
occupied portions exceeds tho supply
necessary for the suStcnanCc and tat
taninr of cattle now grazing there
upon. There appcarS TO he a tendon.
cy ON the part of those who have al
ready occupicd the ground to promul-
potc the idea that the rnnpcs are fully
Stocked. and that there is, therefore.
no room for additional herds. But in
tclliccnt observer, who have prospcct-
ed the different parts of the great cat
flo orco north of Tcyos asserts that
two three ar even four times tho
nnmbrr nf cottlc pow unon thc RANGES
c,n hr fcd unon thcm. EypcrieSco
moves that cattle can NOT ndvon.
iaroonsIv gro2c moro thnn six mr. ciTbt
nils from water, Tho result is t5ot
vnst orc,s now wcIl grozcJ orc of httI.
vnLc nm ocronnt of their rcmolencss
frn,m wntcr Tho rendering NJ such
lands available for thc c,tilc busincss
Of nn,r,o tmrns largely unon tbo nroc.
,icoIil;tv or nrormring ihorounon od-
on"nto Sunnlirs nf wDicr hy means nf
or,"s;,n u,,lls nr bv rcscrvo;rs for col.
Ioo,;nr, r,,n. voter
a..
D"r'nS ,,e l,ts. '.m l,,1s,o unrs LILY nas ,ns
puci, " u''PoS,,.Jn .,. ~ uo"souI.o ,L h vho
Al