The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-01-16
TO RESEED TIE RANGES
Move of Railroads For the Good
of Western Plains.
MATTER OF VAST IMPORTANCE.

hAnn to Bc Tried 10 to Sow Three
Thousand Acres to Different Grasscs
to Sec WhicI IL the Most suitnhlc.
Proposed to Begin the Work Early
Next Spring.
1T has just been given out by railroads
with headquarters In Omaha, Ncb., that
plan is now on foot which contcm-
plates the ultimate rcsccding Of all the
western ranges, says the st. Louis Post
Dispatch. The preliminary portion Of
tho scheme, itself Il work Of great mag
nitudc, involves extensive experiment.
Ing with the cultivation Of different
range grass seeds with view to deter
mining those best suited to the purpose.
This proposition Is one Of great sig
niilcancc and many ramlllcations.
Should 1t be carried to successful Is.
sue the ranges Of Utah, Nebraska, Wy
oming, Montana, Nevada and Idaho
will be vastly affected. If the proper
grass plant can be found, the different
railroads Interested in these states will
go to great expense to further the
plant.
The railroads expect the government
to help promote the scheme as soon as
they show the matter to be practical.
The different states to he benefited will
also be asked to contribute II share Of
the general expense Incurred In carry.
in% The plans to maturity.
The men who are at Tie head Of the
I1nrl.,,,n
the ranges to be Of more Importance to
the country than Irrigation, because the
former will If carried cut be far more
extensive in It's scope and In the bcnc-
fits resulting from It's adoption. The
territory which can b" benefited by ir-
riEation is limited because Of the inabil.
ity to secure moro than certain
Of water from certain streams
The territory to be benefited by rpscci
Ing is only limited by the extent of the
ranges of the west.
The entire plan is said to be SO we'll
mapped out that the actual working
out Of the first step Will begin with the
early spring. II. G. Judson, industrial
agent of the Oregon hallway and Nay
iSation company, is said TO be slated
for the experimental part which will be
iirSt attempted. He IS now in charge
OF the experimental farm Of his road
at Nalla Nalla, WaSh., and is already
making careful preliminary tests along
the line suggested.
Western ranges have been very much
Impoverished and injured by over
crowdinS OF herds in the past few
years. Sheep particularly have been
the cause of tho trouble, rs they are
very destructive TO grasses. What they
do not dig out with their sharp teeth
they punch in with their equally sharp
hoo1s' ana If punched beyond reason
ablc limit they can entirely destroy all
growth except the sage grass.
AS result Of the deterioration Of the
range III many places 1t now REQUIRES
two and three times as many acres 10
provide for given number Of cattle
rs formerly. The railroads expect by
reSccding to so Improve these ranges
That they will provide for larger NUM-
bcr than originally.
For the conduct or the cyDcrImcntol
part Of the work the following plan has
been determined upon. \ spot contain
Ing some 1900 acres Will be fenced Off
IN some centrally located range. This
VIII be divided Into thirty plots for the
trying out Of as many different grasses.
The central idea will be to find some
grass which will be permanent, Iuxu-
rant and hardy. Seeds from nil over
the world will be used, and many from
Africa and South America have al
ready been received.
When the correct grass IS found
the government and states will be call
cd upon to actively cooperate with the
railroads to rcsccd the plains. The GOV
crnmcnt will be asked to make q large
appropriation for the purchase and
sowing OF the seed throughout the
range country and the state will be
asked to provide for state lands every.
where.
All Of this VIII mean IN enormous
work, but each passing year renders
1t morc Imperative. The greatest part |
or the work will be the protection Of |
that part of the country rcsccdcd until |
the new grass has sufficient start TO
maintain Itself. This is Il vast prob
lem, and the government will be called
upon to bring lis authority to bear in
the matter.