The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1907-10-04
IMPROVING LIVE STOCK RANGE
CONTINUED from first pagel

study OF grazing problems IN the Gas
cade mountains of Oregon for the In
terror Department ten years ago, and
contributed to the discussion of grazing
questions which formed part of the
Public Lands Commission report made
in 1905. 1t was on his recommends
ton that the laboratory for desert bo-
tanical research was established by the
Carnegie Institute of Washington at
Tucson, Ariz. He is, therefore, very
we'll prepared for this work, which, to
be successful, must be run on thoroly
practical lines.
The experiments will begin in Wal
Iowa county, northeastern Oregon, in
the Imnaha National Forest. Here, at
different attitudes, a number OF moist
natural meadows have been picked out.
Those having the greatest altitude are
10000 feet or more above sea level,
where in early July snow still covers
the ground. The lowest meadows are
about 5000 feet above sea level.
The purpose OF these wet-meadow
experiments is improvement of the
summer range. Stock do not winter
in the mountains, but are driven grad
ually higher and higher as the advanc-
ing season calls forth the vegetation on
which they feed. The winter ranges
on the plains, supplemented largely by
the hay, alfalfa, and other feed crops
which the ranches produce, depend for
their utilization upon this summer pas
turage, to which the stock can be
driven when the dry season sets in. If
means can be found to improve the
summer range the benefit will be felt
from Canada to Arizona and New Mex
leo, so that the experiments are of
broad importance.
In the higher parts of the Imnaha
National Forest good late summer pas
ture for sheep is valuable. Snow COW
ers the ground nine months of the year,
and the grass that grows must grow
quickly. The natural pasture on these
high mountain meadows is fairly good,
but there is room for improvement.
The native bluegrass does not produce
sod, but grows in punches. A sod or
turf is wanted, and some OF the mead
ows will be seeded with we'll known
species to test whether they will grow
and bring desired result. Timothy,
redtop, bluegrass and clover called
Alsike, originally brought from Swed-
en-, will be tried Eight or more
patches of from to 20 acres each will
be seeded.
1t is a wild and rugged mountain re-
gion with few trails, and those very
difficult. Harrows or other agricul-
tural machinery could not be taken in,
except on the back of pack animals.
Plainly, any method Of seeding which
could have any practical value must
find other instruments than the tools
upon which the farmer ordinarily relies
The sharp cutting hoofs of sheep will
be the only harrow used.
The meadows selected for sowing
will first be grazed as short as sheep
can crop the native grass. Since the
ground is wet, it will be much cut up
by the sheep. Clover, timothy, redtop,
or bluegrass seed will then be sown
broadcast, and the sheep will be driven
to and fro across it until the seed is
we'll beaten into the soil. This will be
done late in the season, so that the
seed will lie dormant until next sum-
mer's sun melts the snow and warns
the ground. Whether it will grow,
and mature a crop in three months,
remains to be seen. If it will, one
problem of mountain pasturage will
have been solved, for a much larger
quantity of forage will be furnished by
these plants than the native growths
supply.
If this grass sowing on the high Ore
gon mountains is successful, 1t will
open the way for similar range develop
ment elsewhere. There is hardly a
limit to the possibilities presented.