The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-09-14
RENEWING RANGES.
Fine Results From DtskfnG - Al
formation of Pastures.

ternatIOn Oh faStureSs
In regard to disking as an aid in re-
new1ng ranges Agrostologist J. q.
Smith reports that as result Of eX-
pe-iments conducted in Texas it would
appear that land which has been disk
ed is improving at the most rapid rate.
Even at the rate of 10 cents per acre,
which was paid for the work, this
treatment costs fully two-thirds less
than simply resting the land without
treatment, and more than enough
grass can be secured from the disked
land the first year to pay for the cost
of the labor.
Best results have accrued from loos-
ening the surface of the ground in
early spring before the grasses COM
mence their new growth. 1t stimulates
the roots of such grasses as are al
ready established, causing them to
grow with renewed vigOr. At Abilene
at the close Of the season (Oct. Is,
1899 1t was estimated that the grasses
on land which had been disked in the
early spring had improved at least rs
per cent In carrying capacity-that is,
there was Is per cent more grass on
the land at the end of the first season
than appeared on adjoining pastures
which were not treated in any way.
Both pastures were grazed with the
same amount of stock and treated as
far as possible alike. The experiments
here referred to were commenced in
the spring Of 1898.
A great many of the stockmen who
have reported concerning. the state Of
their ranges have suggested that the
resting Of the land would be the cheap
est and most practicable method Of
again bringing it up to it's highest val
ue. Resting is an excellent treatment
wherever sufficient grass remains to
reseed the land. 1t is, however, not the
most rapid method, nor can it be con-
sidered the cheapest when one takes
into consideration the fact that the
land to become fully regrassed must be
rested sometimes three or four years.
Complete resting of pasture Is really
q more expensive means Of improving
the pasturage than many would sup
pose. The grass on an acre Of land on
q section capable Of carrying "a head
Of stock cattle Is worth &c cents per
acre when the cattle are appraised at
valuation Of $50 each. At this rate
the cost Of the renewal Of the pasture
fn the course Of q few years would
amount to very nearly the value Of the
land.
Partial resting, or resting during diff
fefent seasons Of the year, system
which may be designated the altezna-
ton Of pastures, secures, the same re-
sult Eat much less expense. Thus q
range might be divided up into a num-
bar 0f small pastures provided with
svakes. IN each soes which the cattle
would be allowed to run for not more
<han two or three months at time
and then be transferred to another. In
this way the succession Of grasses
witch normally occurs in nature can
be fostered and improved Let us sup
pose q range Of 100000 acres in extent
divided Into ten pastures Of 10000
capacity for the state this body Of hand
WIN produce forage enough to sustain
10000 stock cattle throughout the
year. These divided up into their
various classes-beef steers, 2-yea1-
olds and yearlings, cows and calves
could be held three months In one pas
4ure and then transferred to another
which had been kept free from stock
during that length Of time.
= A rest Of two or three months during
the growing season in early spring
would enable the early grasses to rpen
and shed their seeds, thus perpetual
ing the early species. After the seed
had fallen the cattle could be turned
on the grass for two or three months
and again transferred to fresh pas
ture. In the same way autumn and
winter pastures can be secured. Sew
eral stockmen who have employed this
method on a large scale for number
Of years say their ranges ara continue
ally improving.