The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1939-03-23
1899 Range Conservation
Program Under Way

SllOulu NC Va lulClCSI w Gal
range men in Benton County to
know that your 1899 Range Conser-
walton program is now under way.
Thanks to the efforts OF Mr..
Louis A. Dillon your State Ranger
Examiner it Is certain that the
1899 range program in this state
will prove to be the best we have
ever had.
For those range operators who
took part in the 1898 program it
might be said that the 1899 pro-
gram will be similar. But this
year payment will also be allowed
for additional range practices to be
carried out in connection with de-
ferred grazing. These new prac.
tees are: sagebrush control, range
fencing, rodent control, poisonous
plant eradication, establishment OF
experimental seeding plots, and
construction of water-storage els
terms on the range.
For the information of the pub
lie at large, a word Of explanation
in regard to the range program
may be needed. The successful
maintenance of any grazing area
Is dependent upon a thorough pro-
gram OF range management. This
is because man must learn to recog-
nize and respect the highly import
ant condition Of balance which ex-
lists in nature wherever it has been
undisturbed. Consequently, when
ever man places an additional and
artificial load upon q given range
area, he is introducing new fac
tor that may seriously disrupt ma.
lures balance. This Is the reason
that careful range management Is
needed to prevent the crowding out
Of desirable plant and animal life
present. II this Is not
done, then over : grazing results;
many undesirable changes occur,
and much poorer quality Of range
begins to establish itself.
Any efficiently managed range
makes possible the production Of
superior quality range stock, plus
Increased profits to Stoclmen. In
addition, well-kept ranges are far
more pleasing to the. eye than tire
some expanses Of waste, or denuded
lands. Consequently, q range that
Is maintained with good stand Of |
desirable. perennial grasses and i
shrubs Is both an economic and
aesthetic asset to community, state
md nation
In view Of this fact, the federal
government has effectively caxx3od
put . systematic range conservation |
program on its own lands for many
years, especially In the National |
Forests Then, In 1896, under the |
auspices Of the Agricultural Adj
justment Administration, owners
II private lands were privileged to
enter into this range conservation
program for the first time.
In this connection, the govern
nent shares the expense of certain
-ange Developments which further
he improvement Of the range. The
most important Of these are: nat
lral reseeding by deferred grazing,
n which the stock are excluded
rom certain portion Of the range
n the spring Of each year so as to
lllow for the production Of q maxi
mum seed crop Of perennial
yrasses and shrubs: reseeding de-
,leted range lands to suitable per-
,nnial grasses; contraction Of
'arthen dams in gullieS or canyons
o hold run-off water for range
took; construction of spreader
lams to divert run-off water over
,ange lands; excavation of water
l0les in areas having high water
ableS: cleaning out and further
development Of springs or seeps;
lrilling wells on the range; and the
establishment Of fireguards to pro-
ect the range from fire during the
months.
All range operators having one
ection or more of range land who
AVE not previously participated in
his program are cordially invited /,
o do so. Further details may be
'btained from the office of your
county extension office at Kenne-
7ick Washington.
In 1888 there were approximate
Y 10000 acres of range lands in
Benton county included in the
eange Conservation Program.
do family washings
at my home. Mrs. C.. A. Watts,
last Avenue D, Kennewick. SIN