North Park union., 1900-01-26

othy and others OF THE tame grasses.
The ground beneath the bushes has
been enriched by the decay of fallen
leaves and sprigs during q great many
years, and the soil has been loosened
up by the growth Of the bushes, so
the ranchmen grub out these bushes,
burn them off, and then seed the
ground to grass BY simply giving it
a good narrowing. The hay produced
in North park is particularly nutri-
tious, and as good beef can be made
from it as from Nebraska corn. In
fact the beef produced in the North
park, when taken either from the
range Or feeding corrals, is ready for
tho block, and is shipped to the
slaughter-houses without supplement
ary feeding. North park is most
desirable stock range in more than
one respect. The mountain ranges
that surround it act as II barrier be-
yond which the cattle seldom if ever
stray. 1t is estimated that 1000
head Of neat cattle are kept in the
park constantly, but SO continuous
are the surrounding ranges of noun
tains that it only requires the services
of some ten cowboys to keep them
from straying, it only being necessary
to guard the passes. Above tile
lower grassy slopes of the hills is a
belt of dense pine and spruce timber,
much of it growing SO thickly that it
is with difficulty that a mounted man
can make his way between the trees.
Mich fallen timber is also encount-
cred IN these forests, SO that cattle
do not care to stray into them tC any
considerable distance and leave the
good feed cf their pastures behind.
But even should the cattle push their
way through the timber they would
next encounter the steep, rocky
and barren mountain sides, and after
ward the peaks capped with snow
both summer and winter. So the
North park cattlemen, when they
have once placed guards ut all the
passes, rest assured that their herds
are safe from wandering beyond the
surrounding mountain ranges.
There are IL few very large ranches
in North park Swift & Co., tho Chi
cago packers, running a herd of some
thing like 10000 head; but the ma
jority Of the stockmen run moderately
sized herds, while some OF the
ranchmen merely cut their hay, which
they sell to those keeping cattle. The
ranches as general thing front ON
some stream and the ranges stretch
back to lbe hills. After the weather
becomes severe in the winter the cat,
tie are let in the hayfelds TO Craze
and have access to sheds and corrals
near the ranchman's home. There is
plenty of timber near at hand with
which to build comfortable sheds
and many are built, but there are
thick groves of willows growing along
the borders of the streams which af-
ford fair shelter for the cattle during
stormy weather. The snow hecom
ing too deep for the cattle to ''rustle"
their feed, the haystacks, are drawn
upon, the hay being hauled out from
the stacks and fed from racks. I'm
der such care the cattle come through
the winter in fine shape. The semi
annua! roundup still prevails in
North park, a condition necessary
from the fact that there is such a
large expanse of common range, The
calves are branded at the spring
roundup and the beef gathered at the
fall roundup, which begins in Au-
gust. The beef creatures are trailed
overland to the nearest railroad point,
the majority of the shipping being
done from Laramie City, Wyo. The
North park beef is always of first
class, as the prevailing climate and
conditions seem favorable for the de-
velopment of perfect animal. The
dry, cool atmosphere, nutritious feed,
pure water and plenty of shade in the
summer are points that go to make
up an almost ideal stock-growing
section. The herds are almost abso-
lutely free from disease and there
are no conditions to prevent their full
development of bone and Drawn,
while the grasses readily produce fat.
Estes park, from which we take
our Illustrations 10 sn,olIar in oreo