The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1891-02-28
STOCK RAISING.
Some Interesting Facts Re-
garding One Of Idaho's
Great Industries. @
The Cattle That Craze on a
Thousand Hills.

Thousand Hills.
On the 100000 acres of Idaho's
grazing land, there grows about fifteen
different kinds of nutritious wild grass
es, all differing in leaf, root and height,
which retain vitality throughout the
winter. The long and dry atmosphere
of Idaho both in summer and winter,
produce extraordinary abundance of
these wonderfully nutritious grasses,
which cure as they grow, making excel
lent food for animals, nearly equal to
grain. The mild winters;'and little snow
fall, and wa rm wind from the Pacific,
enable stock to live without shelter
through the very short winter and take
care of themselves. Bunch grass is the
best and most common. There are sew
eral varieties Of this grass, but two of
those varieties are best liked and gener-
ally known. One resembles blue grass,
and shoot up stems which form into
clusters, and is found upon high
benches, foot hills and mountains. The
other has sharp-bladed leaf with the
heads all turned one way, and is often
called the flag grass, and grows mostly
on low benches and near bottom lands.
This latter is thought best for cattle
use, and the former for sheep. Some
of these grasses grow to three feet in
height and cut one ton to an acre.
These many grasses start forth in early
spring and grow very rapidly, if there
has been considerable snow during the
short winter or frequent rain showers
during the spring. The bunch grass
yields q large and fine stand, usually
the grass is headed out by the last of
May or June LIST and makes the hills
appear as though covered with crops
of waving grain. The usual height Of
these grasses Is twelve inches, and are
are well cured as they stand by the
middle of July. Then the tops become
brown and look like field of grain
ready to. be cut. In some seasons, if
the weather is moist, tho blades of
grass remain green and continue to
grow until September, though the early
cured grasses are tho best. These
early cured grasses retain their nutri-
ment all winter, as there are no rains
in the fall to drench or bleach them.
Beside the grasses, there are the white,
black and yellow sage and crossword
which are abundant and are excellent
for winter grazing. There is an almost
unlimited area of summer pasturage
in the mountains and elevations. and
as the season passes on toward fall the
tlocks and herds 60 further up into the
highlands. The great Snake river
plains and tributary valleys affords
ample winter feeding grounds for cat
tie which are left to take care Of them.
selves. The annual expense Of caring
for cattle OF, horses in this manner is
very small. Some stock owners round
up and drive their tiner grades Of .. ock
home to their ranches for the winter
and::feed them on alfalfa and timothy
hay.
Stock-raising under these condi.
tions 10 very profitable. With a small
capital to begin with, party can be.
come wealthy In Eve or ten years, All
figure on profit Of from q to q per
cent per annum. Stock cattle OF al
ages, sell in idaho at about an average
Of Sl8 per head. Improvements gener.
ally consist of a rough log hut or cabin
and corrals which for 1000 head need
not cost more than $3.50. II a herder
is employed his wages are from $50 to
$40 pcr month and found. The cattle
business each year is taking a different
form and more satisfactory and protlta.
BILE to the stochmen. Owing to the
reduction In extent of tho area Of the
ranges, by the taking, and occupying
Of this land by farmers, many stock.
men are securing large tracts of Idaho's
fertile Government land near their
ranges and producing hay and grain
from these lands as feed for portion
Of their cattle. The writer believes
that should market cattle be better fed
during the fall and winter by alfalfa or