Show Grass Plantings Prove rove Profitable In InS InS n S C S Districts More than pounds of oC pasture grass seed have been planted by farmers and ranchers ranch ranch- ers of the Upper Sevier Soil Soli Conservation district this year according to W. W Earl Rhinehart district conservationist j f About acres of damaged range and abandoned fields in inthe tho the district are being restored to to profitable production as a r result re result re- re sult u of or he said sald Surreys Surveys Sur reys veys es e's indicate that there are arc 12 additional acres of oC poor crop and range lan land that would bring in a good income If tr planted to wild grass s mixtures tures Salt grass tracts sagebrush and areas cheat- cheat grass open spaces in aspen woods an and weed weedy sub sub alpine alpine ranges are sites that should be considered red for Cor A goo good stand of sagebrush or or the isolated isolated isolated iso iso- clumps of grass on denuded ed cd areas are in indicators of suit suitability suitability ability for artificial planting The possibilities ties of have been demonstrated by some 25 experimental plantings of oC crested wheatgrass throughout the West Vest which showed tl that at atgood good areas can yield up to per cent more forage Ulan than a adjacent unseeded ranges Other considerations as well as forage production mako artificial artificial artificial arti arti- advisable For instance crested r a ass s s greens up up early in the spring when other feed may not be available It withstands drouth that would result In failure of oC other crops requires little to produce an and checks wind and water erosion Seeding depleted Utah rangelands rangelands range range- lands with na native e grasses has In Inmany Inmany inmany many cases more than doubled the feed supply Among the varieties that have been successfully rully used In n are crested wheatgrass slender wheatgrass mountain mounta-ln brom bromo western wheatgrass and an Indian However Mr 11 Rhinehart explains explains ex ex- plains the district has been able to obtain only enough seed to meet about a 11 fourth of oC the orders orders orders ord ord- ers that local farmers and ranchers have placed with It since the growing national demand demand demand de de- mand for native grasses to be bo used in now exceeds exceeds exceeds ex ex- the tho supply The seed is distributed free freo to members of oC the district In addition ad addition addition ad- ad ad- ad the district has available a a. grass drill capable of han handling light and chaffy seed which It rents at cost to farmers who are doing work According to conservation tho conservationist dst grass seed seed usually can be bo drilled In tracts l of land hind supporting supporting support support- ing Russian thistle and other annual weeds without Uh ut any preliminary preliminary pre pre- preparation preparation- ot of the soil Some vegetation helps In preventing preventing pre preventing pre pre- venting erosion an and evaporation I of or too much rainfall and thus usually ails aids the grass in establishing establishing establishing lishing itself he said However wee weeds s must be destroyed when they are thick enough to compete compete compete com com- pete with the see seedlings for the tho limited lImite water supply M Most st seed he explained will wm feed through an ordinary grain drill If the box Is properly filled and 1 if the agitator which which easily play be attached to the tho grain box is Js use used Cotton planters or listers equipped with a n. correctly regulate regulated regulated regu regu- late shoe to control depth of planting an and a suitable packer wheel have proved very satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory in seeding abandoned fields Ie Ids throughout this area On rangeland where this type tyre of plan planting ling is not feasible broadcasting broadcasting broadcasting broad broad- casting seed with a a. hand ed d or gate end-gate type seeder followed followed fol Col- fol- fol lowed by loosening of the surface surface surface sur sur- face with a tooth spike harrow disk or Dixie drag has resulted in good grass stands Covering of oC see seed with a brush drag has proven adequate on tho sandier sandler range land Although proper preparation of the soil and covering ering of the tho seed insures a better grass grass' crop mere hand broadcasting with no soil treatment or followed by Continued on last page Grass Plantings Prove rove Profitable Continued from Crom page one trampling by sheep has been used successfully In damaged grazing l land nd In this state where local conditions prevented prevented prevented pre pre- vented use of better methods Good range grasses cannot es establish establish establish es- es themselves where there are dense stands of or sagebrush Utah ranchers have reclaimed hundreds of or acres of or these waste areas and returned return return- ed them to palatable grass ss by going over O them with a wheatland wheatland wheatland wheat- wheat land plow way one-way disc prior to seeding Burning Durning of sagebrush has hns also been practiced where there thero is little danger of erosion damage before the seedlings get geta a foothold complete removal of the brush cover is usually undesirable un un- desirable Although Is not difficult difficult difficult dif dif- dif dif- it should not be attempted attempt attempt- ed cd by Inexperienced persons before before before be be- fore they obtain technical ad- ad vic Mr Rhinehart warned Extension Extension Extension Ex Ex- tension Service Soil Conservation Conserva Conserva- tion Service and other Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture agencies are assisting farmers a and n d ranchers in selecting suitable planting sites choosing adaptable adaptable adaptable adapt adapt- able seed varieties In proper mixtures preparing the land and managing the range after aller planting alone will not serve servo as an answer to the farmers farmer's or ranchers rancher's feed problems unless he lie also practices proper range man management gement he added The seedlings are easily damaged damaged damaged dam dam- aged by grazing and should be allowed to make seed heads before before before be be- fore they are grazed This precaution precaution precaution pre pre- caution represents little sacrifice sacrifice fice on the part of the operator since the young plants would afford afford afford af af- af- af ford very little forage before they get established he pointed out |