The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-26

ished the carrying capacity Of the range by
from one. quarter TO onc-thlrd. As n result Of
this increase Of the priekly pear the grass is
IL between the olumps Of Cactusi paths arc worn
and tho ground is tramplsd and packed.
II maintain tho range even In its present con
dltion u Is absolutely necessary that some care
should be taken. Some Of the leading stock
men arc dividing up their holdings into winter
and summer pastures. An entcrprising stock
man OF Mitchell county reports that in two
years under such treatment he nearly doubled
tho capacity Of a pasture OF about four sections.
Mr.. Bentley that precaution should
DO taken against water famine in years of
TO be filled in years OF plenty and used in years
of drought. A supply of hay.end forage should
he kept on hand constantly and provi sion made
for shelter 4 possible. During severe winters
thousands OF cattle and sheep die from starya-
y ySino f Inve ShppS IN food wnS and ? sRb ST SSn Would III 'p pre.
Iorve thom through tho winter. Notwithstand-
ing tho magnificent capacity OF central Texas
Of balcd hay are shipped thither from other sec
tions OF the state and even from outside points.
What stockInen need is hay meadows of native
grass. 1t is estimated by those who have care
fully examined the matter that about one.half
the acreage of central Texas is available for
agricultural purposes, tho other half bIlns graz
ing lands. The territory referred to ! 100 by
200 miles In extent. This means 10000 sec
lands contain 6,40O,o0O acres. II. the state
mont previously noted is true, namely, that this
ported 800 cattle on every section. the 1000
sections would feed 5,OO0.00O cattle.
10 ne conservative, suppose InhJ III ~ euIiy
abundance the grass on every two acres would
have kept ono head OF cattle. This would give
= 5000, 900 as the capacity of the region, eNClu-
sivc OF tho agricultural lands. But II Is esti-
mated that, since the overlooking, ten acres
on all average are now necessary To the annual
support of every head OF cattle. 1his means
that the 10000 sections of grass land can now
maintain, year in and year out, only about
$40, 1000 cattle. Taking tho average market
value OF the stock cattle of central Texas, now
about $50 a head. the 100000 which It, has
been estimated could have. been sustained on
these ranges in 1880 would be- worth S5l, 20O,-
600, while the 64O,O00 cattle-the present ca
paCity of the range-Hrew orth.only So, 500, 900,
n decrease If $3S, 400. 900 In tho last twenty
years. IL the supposition Is correct that 1t is
central Texas to its former capacity for main
tanning stock. the above figures show the pos
siblc advantage that such u
would secure.
This condition of the range in central Texas
represents very fairly the state of affairs in all
only those where the ranChman owns all the
land or controls it under lease for n term of
years. 1t is only when the stockInan knows
that 1T will he to his interest to make improve
ments that efforts for the bettorment OF the
range will be made. There must first be sta
bility in the control Of tho ranges before tho
improvements that will bring back the old
days of prosperity can he made. After this
will follow better water facilities, winter shell
ter, hay, blooded stock, destruction of weeds
the native grasses and ForaEe plants, and the
introduction of new and improved sorts. There
are many hundred thousand acres of land i'll
the Southwest that will always be better adapt.
ed To stock raising than TO anything else. w it'll
the use of the proper measures, Mr.; BENTLEY
years to be the finest grazing and breeding land
on the American continent.