The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-08-25
RENEWING RANGES.
Fine Results From DiskinE - Al.
formation Of. Pastures.

In regard TO ulSkinE us MI Alu IN TO
newing ranges .Agrostologist j. Il.
Smith reports that nv n result Of en-
perlments conducted in Texas II would
appear that land which has been disk
ed is improving ut the most rapid rate.
Even at the rate Of 40 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 thnn enough
grass can be occurred from the disked
land the first year to pay for the cost
of the labor. .."M -
Best results have accrued from loos-
ening the surface Of the ground In
early spring before the grasses CON-
mence their new growth. 1t stimulates
the roots of such grasses ms nre al.
ready established, causing them to
grow with renewed vlgor. At Abilene
at the close OF the season lOct. IL,
1893 1t was estimated that the grasses
on land which had been disked In the
early spring had improved ut lenst 70
per cent In carrying capacity-tlat IL.
there was % 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 We're grazed with the
same amount Of stock and treated us
far as possible alike. The experiments
here referred to were commenced III
the spring Of 1908.
"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 its highest val.
ue. Resting IL 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 clenpest when one takes
into consideration the fact that the
land to become fully reglassed must be
rested sometimes three or four years.
Complete resting Of a pasture is really
a. ore expensive mean of improving
the pasturage than many would sup
pose. The grass OIL IN acre Of land on
a section capable OF carrying o. head
Of stock cattle IL worth 90 cents per
acre when the cattle are appraised at
a valuation Of $40 each. AT this rate
the cost Of the renewal or the pasture
In the course Of a few years would
amount to very nearly the value Of the
land.
Partial resting, or resting during diff
ferent seasons Of the year. a system
which may be designated the nlterna.
ton Of pastures. secures the same re-
suit at much less expense. Thus a
range might be divided up into a num-
Der Of small pastures provided with
water, in each of which the cattle
would be allowed to run for not more
than two or three months ut a time
and then be transferred to another. In
this way the succession Of grasses
which normally occurs In nature can
be fostered and improved. Let us sup.
pose a range of 10000 acres In extent
divided into ten pastures Of 10000
acres each. At the average carrying
capacity for the stnte this body Of land
will produce forage enough to sustain
10000 stock cattle throughout the
year. These divided up into their
various classes-beef steers, 2-venr-
olds and yearlings. cows and calves
could be held three months In pas
ture 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 rlpen
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 a fresh pas.
ture. In the same way autumn and
winter pastures Gun be secured. Sew.
eral stockmen who have employed this
method on a large scale for a number
Of years say their ranges are continu
ally improving.
How to Drag stone with q Chain.
A correspondent sends the Ohio
Farmer a sketch showing how nc
Ian ru u@opa with n ohnIn. Urn ~ thL