Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1902-01-07
10 RESEED THE RANGES
Move of Railroads For the Coed
Of Western Plains.
MATTER OF VAST IMPORTANCE.

Plan to Be Tried Ii to Sow Three
Thousand Acre. to Different Grasses
Proposed to Eesin the work Early
Neat spring.
1t has just been given out by railroads
with headas,.. rters in Omaha. Neb.. that
a plan Is now on foot which contem-
plates the ultimate reseeding of all tie
western ranges. says the ST. Louis Post
Dispatch. The preliminary portion Of
the scheme, itself work of great mag
nitude. 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
nificance and many ramifcations
Should it 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
plant
The railroads expect the government
to help promote the scheme as soon as
they show the matter 10 be practical
The different states TO be benefited will
also be asked to contribute a share of
the general expense incurred in carry
ing the plans to maturity.
The men who are at the head of the
plans declare the scheme for rpSeeding
the ranges to he of more Importance TO
the country than irrigation. because the
former will IL carried out be far more
extensive in its scope and in the bene-
fits resulting from its adoption. The
territory which can be benefited by ir-
rfgation is limited because of the inabil-
ity to secure more than certain
amount of water from certain streams.
The territory TO be benefited by reseed-
ing is only limited by the extent of the
ranges of the west.
The entire plan is said TO be so well
mapped out that the actual working
out of the first step will begin with the
early spring. X. c. Judson. industrial
agent of the Oregon Railway and Nav
igation company. is said to be slated
for the experimental part which will be
first attempted. He is now in charge
Of the experimental farm of his road
at Walla Walla. Wash. and is already
making careful preliminary tests along
the line suggested.
Western ranges have been very much
and injured by over
crowding of herds in the past few
IL
the cause of the trouble. as they are
very destructive TO grasses. What they
do not dig out with their sharp teeth
they punch in with their equally.-<harp
hoofs. and IL punched beyond a reason
able limit they can entirely destroy all
growth except the sage grass.
As a result of the deterioration of the
range in many places it now requires
two and three times as many acres to
provide for given number of cattle
as formerly. The railroads expect by
reseeding TO SO improve these ranges
that they will provide for a larger num-
Der than originally.
For the conduct OF the experimental
part Of the work the following plan has
been determined upon. A spot contain
ing some 5000 acres will be fenced off
in some centrally located range. This
will 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. luxu-
rant and hardy. Seeds from all over
the world will be used, and many from I
Africa and South America have al /
ready been received.
When the correct grass Is found. /
the government and states will be call |
ed upon to actively cooperate with the /
railroads to reseed the plains The gov |
will be asked to make q large I
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 will mean an enormous /
work, but each passing year renders
I ore imperative. The greatest part 1
If the work will be the protection of
hat part of the country reseeded until
he new grass has sufficient start to
maintain itself. This is vast prob
EN-. and the government will be called
upon TO bring its authority to bear in
he matter.