The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-10-08
Concerning Wyoming Ranges.

The government department OF
agriculture is prosecuting extensive
inquiries concerning grass and for
age. plants and general conditions
throughout the western range coun-
try. Some time ago circular letters
of inquiry were sent out to persons
engaged in grazing cattle, the fol-
lowing questions being asked:
First-Do you need hay, plants,
soiling crops, drouth resisting crops
or early or late autumn forage?
Second-How many head of cattle,
horses or sheep can be safely pas
tured to the square mile under eX-
listing conditions?
Third-Has the stock-carrying ca
pacity of the ranges in your section
been diminished by over-stocking or
other causes, and if so to what ex-
tent?
Fourth-What treatment do you
recommend for restoring, renewing
and improving the ranges where
they have been Over-stocked?
Fifth-What are the most highly
valued native grasses and forage
plants, and are there any tame
grasses which might be profitably
introduced on the ranges to take
the place Of the valuable wild grass
es of former years?
Sixth-What is the general char
acter of the land in your locality and
what grasses flourish best on it?
The reports sent in from Wyo-
ming r varied and interesting and
The SToCKMAN re-produces a num-
Der of them as given in an exchange
from that state.
Ex-senator Joseph NJ. Carey of
Cheyenne says that the greatest
forage requirement is a plant that
will mature during the short seasons
and will afford good grazing all the
year around, the seed of which will
terminate and grow from simply be-
ing raked or disked in on the native
sod. The native grasses are so nu-
tritious, says Senator Carey, that it
would be unwise to destroy them,
but with other grasses to supple
ment them they would be more val
liable. He says that as soon as the
stock is removed the range grows
up again. Sheep, he says, are de-
stroyers of native grasses. AS to
recuperative processes Mr.. Carey
says laconica.ly, ''rest.'
w. E. Lawrence of the Iron Noun
tain ranch company thinks that six
teen cattle to the square mile is the
present stock-carying capacity of
the range. 1t has been reduced by
over-stocking and by small owners
fencing up the lands. Recuperation
he regards as impossible by artiti-
cial means The only cure is to let
the range rest and Nature will do
the re-seeding. The ranchmen
could easily save the ranges them
selves. "Give the state control Of
the ranges says Mr.. Lawrence,
$50 that the lands can be bought or
leased, and over stocking will cease.
Means will be found by the lessees
to restore thousands of acres now
rendered useless by roaming bands
of sheep"
f. W. Remington, a prominent
cattleowner of the place that bears
his name, declares that sheep are
killing the grasses of the range, ad-
ding that the range needs and must
have rest.
Paul Compton Of Buffalo thinks
the remedy lies in in leasing the
range lands to farmers who will
fence them.
Fred G. c. Hess of Buffalo agrees
that if the lands were leased to indi-
viluals over-stocking would cease.
George Ferris Of Rawlins SAYS
that the ranges re just as good now
as they were when the old stage ran
across the continent. Ferris saws.