The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-01-15
CLOSING SESSION

though OF course the price might con
ceivably SO soar that beef could be
procured only by those of ample
means And there will always be
a demand for beef. Wellto-do peo-
pie enough will forever exist to keep
up certain demand however high
beef prices may rise.
To create a clear Issue let us
state our subject thus. Is the sup
ply of beef likely to continue sufic-
lent at present prices or, after a lit
tie will lower prices rule or higher
prices?
The question calls for inquiry in
to the probability of beef cattle pro-
d%uction. and into the probability of
the beet cattle demand during the
years Just before us.
| discuss. first, the probable sup
ply of beef cattle during the immed-
late future, meantime. for simplici-
tvs sake, supposing the demand to
remain about the same as now.
There are causes at work tending
to diminish the supply of beef cattle
and certain to do this unless demand
Increases question to be consider
ed in a few minutes. The free pas
ture area on the public domain is
~Iessening. Thousands of acres of
that pasture have been ruined
through lack of supervision.
Here is of course the great argu-
over which so much controversy has
arisen. Into which | do not enter:
but it is clear to all hat if such a
law could be devised. which would
enable stock owners to control their
ranges so hat care for the land
would pay, and at the same time
hinder honest homesteading. great
and permanent good would be done.
AS it is. it being no ones interest
to prevent, precious soil is blown
away by the wind. covered with gray
ell by millions of goDhers, trampled
by cattle, quilted into rivers by rains
and streams, and made desert by
thieves stealing and cutting the trees
which shelter it. These things ought
not so to be.
The federal OK pasture has also
been invaded by homesteading. This
process is still rapidly going on
destined to be f%urthered, too, by a
number of resources whose power is
only just coming to be felt.
One of these is irrigation public
and private. We need not go SO far
as some irrigation enthusiasts to be
convinced how vast an area now
too dry for profitable agriculture will
by and by become good agricultural
land.
AS much more will be withdrawn
from pasturage a little later by the
creation of forests. This process is
to be a%ccentuated by the growing
impossibility of obtaining sufficient
timber for the needs of this great
from the sources hitherto
side of the Mississippi which might
not grow its own timber; few that
might not. besides this grow for eX-
porting many. very many-where
timber would be the most profitable
CROP which could be raised-far more
so than pasture grass. This profita-
bleness will be discovered ere long.
with the result that artificial forests
will spread over millions of acres
now sandy and bare
An example of successful afforesta
ton under difficulties has Just come
TO my knowledge. In Nebraska coun
twelve years ago. a bald hill of
drifting sand was planted with hard
pine seeds. Every square rod plant
ed has now its lusty growth. need
ing to be thinned, while a fair proper
ton of the trees are twenty-four feet
high.
Our free pasture will lose still
more by the spread of thorough ag
ri%culture. which. we are learning, is
able to produce crops. and that in
very arid regions. largely irrespec-
tive of rainfall.
To all of these methods by which
the mar with the pillow is slicing OFF
the herder,s domain we add the eff
feet produced by afforestation and
by the fuller settlement of tillage