National Republican., 1885-12-19

SVuiiii,eoon1i |O'''.'"' - '.,,e
before Jne tnlru nhtionai coh'on'iVn vi
stockmen, held at Chicago, ILL.,, gave very
forcible presentation of the great develop
ne,t of Tho cottle industrv of this country,
- r,1t,,o, c.,i,,otoo os ,o tLo
anu niauo HVu'o s.''i',,.S e'' 10
meat supply whlcn VIII DC neeueu III inc
future. lie shows very clearly that al
though the number of cattle I'm the country
has Increased onornouslv within the past
80. - a. ,o,,,,to,,o, hos
tnrty UT iorty years, yeC ou. poPu1a''o" ,, ua9
Increased with equal rapidity' mus, IN
1850 we had population OF y, l0l $40, and
17.77s, ,907 head of cattle, or 7G6 cattle to
,bo thonsand inhobitants. IN 1850 wc had
W. 'nou'".u .,., -
olf cattie 10 tne 'housanu PoPuI"Viuh' !"
1870, owing to the effects OF the war, we
had but 6lS cattle TO the thousand; In 1880
we had ZIG head TO the thousand aud II
we estimate our population IN 1885 at 81
OOO, 900, and our cattle at 100000 we
wo',ld only have 772 TO the Thousand at
This time.I
He then proceeds TO show that as. the
populatIon OF the country since the decla-
ration of independence has about doubled
every twenty-flye years, TO keep up the
same relative beef supply we must increase
our stock Of cattle To- 7O,OOO. 600 within
twenty wears and to 40 OOO, 200 within for
tv-five yeara
These figures show not only that the cat
lie Industry ia IN no present danger of being
oyerdone, but they raise the important
question OF how we are TO accomplish the
result desired. In the great west the cattle
ranches arc already crowdinp each other.
They cover almost every available spot
from the Mexican border to the British
line. and many portions of this territory
are stocked TO the extreme limit Of cattle
support. II is'evident, therefore, that in
order greatly to increase our supply of cat
tie some means must be devised to increase
the production OF grass. But this cannot
be done without some kind of cultivation
of the land, and that means modification
or change OF the ranch system and the In
PRODUCTION of agriculture. There are two
WAYS in which this change may be effected
first, by bringing more land for grazing and
meadow purposes under the influence OF irrl-
pation, and, second, by introducing on the
arid lands new species of grass OF more Wig
orous growth and greater production than
those now prevailing. There are yet ex-
tensiye areas of land where irrigation may
be applied and the multiplication OF irrigat-
inc ditcbes. artesian wells, and engineering
nppliapces. in the form of mountain reser.
yoirs, may vet be brought into operation TO
greatly multiply our resources. Every acre
Of bottom land on the plains and in the
mountain valleys is capable of producing,
n properly IRRIGATED, ten tons of alfalfa, one
Of the yery best fodder plants known, or an
eodhl Weld of some of the vigorously grow
ing grasses, as the so-called johnson grass
(Sorrhum halipense)
Il Is probable also that even the arid
lands under proper system Of cultivation
are capable of producing from two to four
times the native Weld III the proper kinds of
grasses be introduced. The present ability
Of the ranches In the arid region to support
stock varies according to circumstances of
TWENTY-FIVE to fifty head of cattle to the
SQUARE mile. A stranger in passing over
the plains IN many places, as in the vicinity
of Pueblo or Santa Fe, would be likely to
saw that he could see no grass of any conse-
anence, and would wonder what the cattle
found to eat. Often the large portion OF
the ground is covered with weeds which are
entirely useless for food, and the really
nutritious grasses are oyershadowed and
onjy here and there visible. This con.
iIition is probably due I'm part to oyerpraz-
ing in the vicinity of towns. and at a dis
ta1ce there is an Improvement, but under
the most favorable circumstances the prod
the deterioration of the natural pastures by
the tramping of cattle and horses and the
close cropping of sheep.
Perhaps the time will never come when
the most sterile parts of this territory will
repay the expense of cultivation, but that
isnot the case with the larger portion. The
destruction Of the weeds and the improve
ment of the soil by the plow, with re
seeding Of grasses, would at once double
or treble the value of the land. Here the
question will naturally arise, What kind o.
grasses should be used In such cases TO In
crease the Weld. To answer this question
would require O consideration OF severa
circumstances, No one kind would answer
for general use over SO wide an area as Il
do, In N yutlI tat
the grasses of one section are largely differ
ent from those OF another. There Is grea
variety Of FORM size, habit of growth
yigor, duration, quantity of foliage, time O
growth, and adaptation to climatic coudi
lions, There is little doubt that every sec
tion of the country contains native grasse
which would meet the requirements OF agri
Couture In that section. The grasses whicl
would be suitable for Montana and Dakot
would not, perhaps, be suitable for Texa
and Arizona. There is here a wide field 70
Investigation and experiment, Some grasse
which nave recently been brought to motto
give promise of great utility. Among thes
we may mention johnson grass (Sorghun
halipense), Texas blue grass (Poa arach
nifera). some species of audopogon or blue
Joint. an apropyrum prevailing on tn
plains. and by stockmen called blue stem
several species of panicum, of wild rye, an
of bunch grasses.
But all Investigations ana experiment
REQUIRE time, expense, and skill, which OF
dinary farmers cannot afford TO bestow
Here undoubtedly is a legitimate and us,
full opportupity for the aid of the govern
mcnt, an opportunity for widespreadin
benefit to be conferred which has receive
little or no recognition. Were there bu
two or three PROPERLY conducted grass o,
pertinent stations, say one in the northern
one In the central and one I'm the souther
portions of the great grazing region, III
auestion of suitable grasses for cuItiyatio
could be solved, not In one or two YEAR
perhaps not IN five or ten, for MANY ne,
kinds would need to be placed under trl,
on different soils and In different condition