Show stockmen Stoc kmen improving range grasses by contour Fur furrowing furrowing rowin g contour f furrows thoe tho e curving parallel grooves across you may have seen al ng the road somewhere in the state detate are fast coming to the fore as a means of improving range land grass and checking excessive soil erosion the soil conservation service sa eq d today more than acres of range land in we western tern Col colorado colored orad and southeastern utah have been contour furrowed by stockmen stoc kmen in cooperation with the sou conservation service pointing out that ranchers in almost every section of cf the state have done some contour furrowing on their range said that the practice has rapidly come into favor with colorado and utah stockmen stoc kmen because they have seen how the furrows catch and hold bold water which otherwise would be wasted usually plowed fur fiur fi ur to s x inches deep in parallel rows of various widths depending on the grade 1 the furrows go across the slope at right angles to the ol direction of drainage because of increased moisture which soaks into the ground native grasses in the vicinity of each furrow grow heavier and thicker and produce more seed which in turn sent scat ers and resends les le s well glared atas ed ares between furrows in badly depleted range areas the furrows furro vs are used to help artificial along grass I 1 seed is sown in and near the furrows and the moisture held there enables the plants to grow well and scatter seed to adjacent areas although the furrows may gradually fill with silt explained the heavier grass growth along the contour line eventually takes the place of the furrow the grass itself holding back water and preventing soil losses through damaging da in concentrations of flow other agencies including the state extension service and the AAA recognize the value of furrowing on range land and are recommending wider use of the practice said citing a few of the many ranch and range areas where large portions of grassland have been contour furrowed officials listed the claude young ranch near monticello utah the spanish valley near moab utah the mack area near fruita colorado and earl bays ranch near glade park parka colorado I 1 on the earl bays ranch contours contour conto url furrows held back much water after heavy rains last summer this water would have run off the land otherwise there was an increase in volume of the grasses in the contour furrows over grass on the untreated range land |