Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-04-17
TO RESEED TIE RANGES
Move of Railroads For the Coed
of Western Plains.
MATTER OF VAST IMPORTANCE.

Plan to Re Tried IL to Sow Three
Thousand Acres to Different Grasses
TO See which Ia the Most Suitable
Proposed to Begin the Work EARLY
Next Spring.
1t has just been given out by railroads
witt headquarters in Omaha, Neb., that
q p!ai is now on foot which contem-
plates the ultimate reseeding of all the
western ranges, says the st. Louis Post
Dispatch. The preliminary portion Of
the scheme, itself a work of great mag
nitude, involves extensive experiment.
ing with the cultivation Of different
range grass seeds with a view to deter
mining those best suited to h purpose.
This proposition is ono Of great sig
nif1cance and many ramifcations.
Should it be carried to a successful is
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 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 reseeding
the ranges to be of more Importance to
the country than irrigation, because the
former will if carried out be far more
extensive in it's scope and in the bene-
fits resulting from its adoption. The
territory which can be benefited by ir-
rigation is limited because of b inabil-
ity to secure more than q 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. r. G. 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
Impoverished and injured by over
croWding of herds in the past few
years. Sheep particularly have been
%ho oor1cn Of tho +po1711n oC 4hor aro
very destructive to grasses. What they
do not dig out with their sharp teeth
they punch in with their equally sharp
hoofs, and if 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 a given number Of cattle
as formerly. The railroads expect by
reseeding to SO improve these ranges
that they will provide for a larger mum
Der than originally.
Fol the conduct Of the experimental
part Of the work the following plan has
been determined upon. A spot contain
ing Il 5000 acres will be fenced of
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 SOM
grass which will be permanent, luxu
RANT and hardy. Seeds from all owe
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
ed upon to actively cooperate with tn,
railroads to reseed the plains. The gov
eminent will be asked to make a large
appropriation for the purchase and
sowing Of the seed throughout tn,
range country and the state will bt
asked to provide for state lands every
where.
All OF this will mean an enormous
work. but each passing year render
IL more imperative. The greatest par
OF the work will be the protection o
that part OF the country reseeded unit
the new grass has sufficient start t.
maintain itself. This is q vast prob
lem, and the government will be callet
upon to bring its authority to bear Il
<hM nAn&fop