Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1903-04-15
OVERSTOCKED RANGE.
PrsSS BullstiA No. 7S.. New AsHleO COllsGs sG
Agriculture aAd Mechanic
Arts.

PVi iSaiit lhuusITleS OI new mexico Is ltS
stockraising industry. And the same
conditions which cause this to be true
, with respect to the past and present
, will necessarily make it so in the fu-
, ture. Hence the present and future
prosperity Of this territory is in a very
; large measure affected by the treat
ment of our natural ranges.
The present method of management
Of, or rather failure to manage care
, fully this, one of our.natural resources
, is a crying shame, when viewed from
, the standpoint Of the present and fu-
, ture.
Twenty or twenty-five years ago
practically all the ranges of New Mex
, leo were capable of carrying from one
third to one half more stock than they
will carry today. The present condi-
, tion exists simply as the result of per-
sistent overstocking of the most
thoughtless and careless kind.
Particular inquiries among the older
stockmen, on the question of the carry
ing capacity of the various ranges of
the southern part of the territory have
invariably received the answer that a
number Of years ago the range was
better than at present. On several oc-
casions the answer has been that once
it was possible to cut half a ton or
more Of grama hay to the acre on lands
now practically bare.
In reply to questions as to present
topography Of region compared with
that of the same area fifteen or twenty
years ago, the answer eas usually been
that in the past it was possible to drive
over these areas in buggy where it is
now almost impossible to travel on
horseback.
The two features of the roughness of
a given area and the relative amount,
and particularly the kind Of vegetation
present, tell very plainly about when
and to what extent a range has been
overstocked; they also suggest the kind
Of stock which was held on that range.
Ranges that have been overstocked
with cattle and horses are full Of arro-
yos which are stony and more or less
weedy. Where the slope is too gentle
toproduce marked arroyos, the broader,
more moist, open valleys and draws"
are filled with the common careless
weeds" (Amarantus spp.) The rocky
arroyos generally have a good crop of
the white "prickly poppy" or poppy
thistle" (ArgemOne spp. and the wild
tobacco" (Nicotiana attenuata). The
Rocky Mountain bee plant I"
(Cleome serulata) and Croton Texensis
may be found in either of such loca-
tions.
Level fats frequently have the per-
ennial grasses replaced by some of the
annual grasses which are either Of very
little value as feed because stock do
not like them or are Of very short dur
alton, and furnish little feed. The
commonest annual grasses which re.
place the perennials are Aristida Bro
modes Tricuspis Pulchella and one of
the 'six weeks gramas" Bouteloua
Aristidoides. The two first named are
of very little value as feed, since, for
some reason not understood, stock will
not even eat them when fresh and
green. The last is very short lived,
and is poor feed when dry, as well "a
being quite spiny.
overstocking by sheep and goats is
not so apt to affect the topography of
the range, but they eradicate the per.
ennial grasses more thoroughly when
held too long in a given place, and
their effect upon the low shrubs il
much more noticeable.
The degree Of recovery Of a range
tells about how long since It was over.
stocked.
A noticeable amount Of driving I'm of
streams and springs, and bigger Aooda
during the rainy season in Sny region
are good signs that the ranges of fhat
region are overstOcked. This Is true
because the grass tends to hold back
the water from running rapidly of and
allows 1t more time to soak into the
soil, whence It may emerge as springs,
when the water runs of the surface
instead OF soaking into the soil, the
springs 60 dry, and II the runoff occurs
IN 9 short time, we have q flood, even
when the rainfall has been nothin0
more than normal. A thick sod of per.
ennial grass will hold back surface how
as nothing else can. "O"