Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-09-07
FARMING MATTERS.
DETERIORATION OF THE RANCE

How Range Grass May -. Encouraged tn
Grow.
\ great many stockmen who have
looked into the state Of their ranges
have suggested that he resting of the
land would le the cheapest and most
practicable method of again bringing
1t mp 10 Its highest value. Resting Is an
excellent treatment wherever suf-
iicient grass remains to re-seed the
land. II Is, however. not the most
rapid method. nor can II be considered
the cheapest when one takes Into con
sidcration the fact that the land, TO
become fully rcgrassed. must be rested
sometimes three or four years. Com
plete resting Of u pasture II really u
more expensive means OF improving
the pasturage than many would sup
pose.
In the ease OF range deterioration
through the growth OF cactus, the grass
on an acre OF land on u section cap
able OF carrying siNty-four head OF
stock cattle is worth Gii cents an acre
when the cattle are appraised at
valuation OF $40 each. At this rate the
cost OF the renewal Of the pasture In
the course OF few years would
amount to tho value Of the land. Par
tial resting. or resting during different
seasons Of the year. II system which
may b. designated the alienation OF
pasture. secures the same result at
much lcSs expense. Thus large range
might he divided up into number OF
small pastures provided vita water in
each of which tc caiil. would II. al
lowed TO run for not morr than two
or three months mt u time ani then liz
transferred to another.
In this way the succession of gras-cs
which normally occurs In nature can
bc fostcrrd and improved. Let us sup
pose u range OF iu1.US acres In eN-
tent divided Into ten pastures of ioHs'
acre. each. AZ the average carrying
capacity this body Of land VIII pro,iuc.
forage enough 10 sustain 1900 stock
rnitl" throughout the year. T-.-- ,ii-
vidci up into various cinsscs-bccf
steers. two-ycar.oids and ycariing~.
COWS and calv.--couid L. held three
months In one pasture ani then trans
f-rr.i to another which Ind bccn kept
free from stock during that length Of
time. "a rest of two or three months
'iurinr the growing season In early
spring would cnabi- the early rru.-c.
to ripcn nni shed their seeds. thus per
priuniing tn" early species. After the
sc..i Ind fallen the cattle could II.
turned on the srns. for Nv. "r ihr,-.
months AMI nEuin transferred To u
fresh pasture. In the same way
autumn aud winter pasture. -an L.
-.cur-,i.
Several sio-kmrn who have rin.
pioyci this m-iho.i on n large srni- for
q number of years say TIM, their ranges
nE- continually Improving. IN marked
contrast Z" the deterioration that hni
occurred through lad treatment of
ncishinrins properties where iii- "ii
methods Wet" pTucti,,-i. II l. also
cinini.,i tlini pasture land thus tp-nt.'d
viii carry m"r.' head .f cattle through
the year nni hrins them out In better
condition than where ili- herd has
nc,,-s- u, all seasons of the year Z" nil
portions .f The range. Wh"rr winter
feeding l. pTrctic,si In connection with
Attenuation .f Pastures tile very i-.~t
results may hc obtained at h- i-as;
"us' aii THE owner VIII Ind that with
jtidiri"us care the Nniu- of III. prop
-riy viii constantly in"rrasr ana tile
annual pr"Hi as represented hy the IN.
cr-n>-i nunisrr ~ marketable steers
win m"F,' than compensate for til" cus;
nnd iait1f 1r changing cattle frum nn"
pasture Z" au"ii-T.-firii nni Farm.