The silver star., 1899-09-15
rARNINc MATTERS.
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drew.
A great many stockmen who have
looked Into the state Of their ranges
have suggested that he resting OF the
land would be the cheapest and most
practicable method OF again bringing
It up to Its highest value. Resting Is an
excellent treatment wherever sur
ficient gr,lss remains to re-seed the
land. It Is, however, not the most
rapid method, nor can 1t be considered
the cheapest when one takes into con-
sideration the fact that the iand, 70
become fully regrassed, must be rested
sometimes three or four years. Com
plete resting Of pasture 10 really .
more expensive means Of improving
the pasturage than many would sup
pose.
In the case of range deterioration
through the growth Of cactus, the grass
ON an acre Of land on Z section cap
able Of carrying sixty-fOur head OF
stock cattle Is worth 66 cents an acre
when the cattle are appraised at
valuation Of so each. At this rate the
cost Of the renewal Of the pasture In
the course of a few yea1 would
amount to the value Of the land. Par
tial resting, or resting during different
seasons OF the year, a system which
may be designated the alienation OF
pasture, secures the same result At
much less expense. Thus large range
might be divided up into n number OF
small pastures provided witt water In
each Of which Il cattle would be al
lowed TO run for not more than two
or three months at time and then be
transferred to another.
Ia xhIa ha pinn nj Urn Q2QU
which normally occurs in nature can
be fostered and improved. Let us sup
pose q range Of 10000 acres In ex-
tent divided into ten pastures OF 1O.OOO
acres each. At the average carrying
capacity this body Of land will produce
forage enough to sustain 10000 stock
cattle throughout the year. T-e ese d.
vided up into various classes-beef
steers, two-year-olds and yearlings.
COWS and calves-could be held three
months In one pasture and then trans
ferred 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 per
petuating 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 a
fresh pasture. In the same way
autumn and winter pastures can be
secured.
Several stockmen who have EN-.
ployed this methsd on n large scale for
a number of years say that their ranges
are continually improving. in marked
contrast TO the deterioration that had
occurred through had treatment of
neighboring properties where the old
methods were practiced. 1t is also
claimed that pasture land thus treated
win carry more head OF cattle through
the year and bring them out In better
condition than where the herd has
access at all seasons of the year to all
portions of the range. Where winter
feeding Is prr cticei In connection with
alienation Of pastures the very be<,
results may be obtained at he least
cost and the owner will find that with
judiciouS care the value Of his pop
erty will constantly increase anu she
annual profit as represented by the In
creased eimber OF marketable steer
will moi fhan compensate for the cost
and labor Cf changing cattle from one
pasture to another--Field and Farm