The Wahpeton times., 1919-01-02
PASTURACE IS A
VALUABLE ASSET
This Fact Is Indicated by Recent
Investigation by Bureau Of
Crop Estimates.
SIZE OF HAY CROP SURPRISE
One Hundred Acres Garry an Aver
age Of 29 Cattle, Ranging From So
In Indiana to 8 in Arizona
Iowa ls Second.

Public surprise is often manifested
at the size and value of the hay crop,
and now it probably is the turn of the
farmer himself to. be surprised at the
information that the annual value of
the pasturage Of this country is over
$1,OOO,OO0,OO0. At any rate, this is
indicated by a recent Investigation by
the bureau Of crop estimates of the
United States department of agricul-
ture. The farm value of the hay crop
itself did not reach this figure until
1916.
Pasturage value has never been as
certatned by the census and never in
.cluded in totals of farm-produced
wealth, but pasture area was reported
on the agriculture schedule of the CEN
sus Of 1910. and was tabulated by the
Office Of farm management of the de-
partment of agriculture in 1918. To
this information has recently been
added an estimate of the cattle-carry-
ing capacity of this area made by the
bureau Of crop estimates.
Per 100 acres Of all kinds of pas.
lures, the carrying capacity is 29.4
cattle in the average for the United
States. The leading state is Indiana
with 50 cattle, the second is Iowa with
81 cattle, Tennessee is third with. SO
cattle, Illinois fourth with 48 cattle,
Wisconsin fifth with AZ cattle. Louis
lana sixth with As cattle, and then fol.
low four states in each of which 100
acres Of all kinds of pastures, on the
average, can carry 40 cattle-Minne-
sofa, Missouri, Nebraska and Idaho.
At the other extreme, only cattle
can be carried on the average 100
acres of pastures in Arizona, 8 cattle
in Nevada, 10 cattle in New Mexico.
II cattle in Wyoming, IL cattle in New
/: Hampshire, ;13, cattle in Montana and
Colorado and IA cattle in Oregon.
Improved Pasture Best Kind.
In the United States improved pas.
ture can carry about twice as many
cattle as woodland and other pastures,
the average for, the improved being
45.6 cattle, for woodland pasture 25.4
cattle. and for other pasture 23.1 cat
tile. The highest figure for improved
pasture in any state::is 20 cattle per
100 acres in, New Mexico, after which
follow Indiana with 65 cattle, Tennes-
see with 62 cattle, and Illinois, Wiscon-
sin, Iowa, Louisiana and Idaho. each
with 60 cattle. y.
The. wild pasture of Arizona can
carry but 6 cattle per 100 acres, or i
animal to II acres, and that of Wyo-
ming, Nevada, Montana, New Mexico,
Colorado and Oregon can carry but 7
to 10 cattle ON 100 acres.
That thu, aggregate yearly value of
the pastufage of the United States
should be 81 600, ,OOO, 600 and more need
not be entirely unexpected when it is
known that it is utilized for more than
half a year. Improved pasture has an
average Of 6.9 months, woodland pas
ture ~ months, other pasture ~
months, and the average of all kinds
is IA months.
Periods When Pastures Are Utilized.
For nearly a whole year, or 11.5
months, the wild lands Of Montana are
pastured, and this is not equaled even
by Florida, Louisiana, Texas, New Mex
leo and Arizona for any kind of pas
ture. Florida's period for woodland is
1913 months, and New Mexico's period
for improved pasture is the same. The
period for woodland pasture in Texas
and for improved pasture in Arizona
is 9.8 months; for wild pasture in
Texas, 3.6 months; for woodland pas.
ture in Louisiana and Arizona, 9.5
ncnths: in New Mexico, "a months
for wild pastnrn in Elorif1a and Colo.