Arizona republican., 1914-02-16

the world, and these grasses are a very important feature on this range. Nat urally. there are other forage plants. including browse and cacti, but peren nial grasses are the important plants
 It would be difficult to say how much the carrying capacity of this range had been raised, but it is certainly much more than 100 per cent After five years protection on the better class of this land we gave stockmen permits to cut hay over considerable areas, which yielded anywhere from 500 to 2000 pounds of hay to the acre, though the latter figure is much in excess of the average. Perhaps 1000 to 1900 pounds of hay per acre would be a fair average for the better land. l feel sure we can duplicate this work over large areas in Arizona, l refer now to our vast areas of grama grass and mes quite grass lands l think this can be done also in New Mexico and other western states
 Further work showed us conclusive ly that there was no occasion nor good reason for excluding entirely grazing animals from such an enclosure after the second year at most, so long as they are kept off the land until the grass makes it's growth, natures it's seed, and the seed falls to the ground Of course. one must not overgraZe. The secret of the success of this experiment Iat in, ha hat J,1a pte were allowed to mature their growth and also their seed. ungrazed and un- disturbed This growth strengthened the plants themselves, and in addition kept the seed from blowing away. You can protect your grazing areas from now until doomsday without results if you don't make provision for the seed to ripen and fall to the ground be- fore stock get to it. Most of you know how cattle eat grass heads and seed in the late summer and fall The damage from this source is as great as from their hoofs. This is why I insist upon the grazing ranges being fenced. Now I can see nothing difficult about this experiment. It is practical I believe
 
 the grazing ranges in the west and southwest I have often been asked why there should be any difference be tween winter grazing and summer grazing on the ranges, in connection with range improvement My answer is that in order to nave grass you must have plants, and plants you know grow 4 seed under natural conditions on the range is fundamental and basic in prin- ciple. A reduced seed production means fewer plants the following year, to take the places of the older ones that have died out, or that have been grazed or trampled out When this reduction of plants continues for some years. the carrying capacity of your range is per manently lowered. perhaps entirely through lessened seed production You may have the soil. you may have the rainfall and the sunshine, but you have grass without seed.
 Gentlemen, to summarize. I have noted briefly the ever decreasing beef supply of the country I have examin- ed your condition on the open range today, and I have shown you why the grass is disappearing, and why it has disappeared in the past. I am sure you are convinced that under present con- ditions you have nothing to hope for in the way of improvement There has been no change for the better during the past twenty years, with the open range and you have no reason to look for any now. It don't matter to you from this time on-except as you con- sume meat-how high the price of beef goes. if you don't have any grass. you