90 TECHNICAL NOTES

SIDNEY E. CLARKE AND THE ter land use in the semi-arid por- Swift Current Station in 1935 as EARLY HISTORY OF CANA- tions of western . Clarke, head of range and forage studies, he DIAN RANGE SCIENCE then 46, had come late to scientific was able, under the Prairie Farm agriculture, although he had practi- Rehabilitation Act, to extend certain E. W. TISDALE cal experience from a boyhood on phases of this work over the whole Professor oj Range Management the family farm near Baldur in range area of the Prairie Provinces. University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho southern Manitoba. His higher edu- These pioneer investigations by cation began in Normal School at Clarke and his associates included Brandon, Manitoba, following which The death of Sidney Clarke at the the ecology of major range types of he taught school for several years. age of 83 in Vancouver, British Co- the Canadian Plains ranges, and In 1917 he entered Manitoba Agri- lumbia, marked the passing of the studies of the phenology, produc- cultural College and received the man who, more than any other, was tivity, chemical composition and B.S.A. degree in 1920. Post graduate livestock preference of the principal responsible for the development of work at the University of Minnesota species. Grazing investigations, ac- range management and research in brought the Master’s degree in 1925 companied by clipping experiments, Canada. It seems fitting to establish and the Ph.D. in 1927, with a major probed the effects of climate versus his place in the record and to docu- in Agronomy, and a thesis on “Self- grazing at different intensities under ment some of this early history while fertilization in Timothy”. In 1926, both deferred-rotation and continu- the events are still close at hand. Clarke, with his training in forage ous systems. The results of this work The nature of this record is closely crops and Thomson, with a B. S. in appeared in numerous publications connected with the location and Animal Husbandry from the Univer- from 1930 through the 1940’s. characteristics of the resource. The sity of , were about as new to A major result of the chemical range lands of Canada are concen- range problems as was the field of composition investigations was the trated in the western part of the range science in Canada. discovery that most forage species country. Usable range for domestic Following a summer of reconnais- of the drier range areas in Canada livestock is largely confined to the sance in 1926, a site was selected in are deficient in phosphorus when southern portions of the four west- 1927 near , in southeast- cured. The widspread adoption of ern Provinces, although much forage ern Alberta and here the first Range supplemental mineral feeding of for big game is produced in the Experiment Station in Canada was range livestock which resulted from northern portions and in the Yukon established on an 18,000 acre tract. this discovery did much to improve and Northwest Territories. The live- Research activities begun in 1928 in- animal health and production in the stock range area is estimated at 47 cluded botanical investigations of region. million acres in the plains and foot- the native vegetation, grazing stud- Another contribution from the hills of the “Prairie Provinces”, and ies, range improvement, forage crop early work at Manyberries was a about 15 million acres in the grass- tests, and investigations of range method for determination of grazing land valleys and forest ranges of in- livestock activities, weight gains and capacity. This was based on the av- terior British Columbia. winter feed requirements. erage annual herbage production of Although livestock ranching This Station served as the center the major range species in relation played an important part in the for range research in Canada for to their basal area. These data were early settlement of these areas, the many years. In 1935 similar studies combined to produce an index for national interest remained strongly were begun at Kamloops, B. C., each species from which its average centered on wheat as the prime where the range resources and prob- yield and that of the range as a product of the West, and most of the lems differ greatly from those on whole could be estimated from range was long considered as poten- the plains of Alberta and Saskatche- point sampling data. tial wheat land. In accordance with wan. The Kamloops unit was begun Clarke’s agronomic training led to this philosophy, the Canadian De- as a sub-station of the Manyberries a strong interest in range improve- partment of Agriculture paid virtu- Station. It was closed from 1941 ment by direct means. The work at ally no attention to the study and through 1946 as a war-time economy Manyberries included testing the ef- utilization of range lands for many move, and reestablished as a full- fects of fertilizers, surface cultiva- years, although an extensive system fledged Station in 1947. Range in- tion, burning and reseeding on na- of experiment stations was estab- vestigations were developed subse- tive vegetation. Clarke early rec- lished for investigations of cultivated quently at other experiment stations ognized the merits of crested wheat- crops and farm livestock. in western Canada, particularly at grass and saw the possibilities for Repeated requests of stockmen for Swift Current in Saskatchewan and reseeding the abandoned grain fields scientific study of the range resource in southwestern Alberta. which were so numerous in the were finally met in 1926 when Dr. Sid Clarke was a key figure in all Canadian plains region. Reseeding S. E. Clarke and Mr. L. B. Thomson of these developments. At Many- trials begun in 1928 on an abandoned were appointed to establish a range berries he initiated a series of in- field near the Range Experiment experiment station in the so-called vestigations which gave for the first Station proved to be historic. “shortgrass” region. These two men, time an adequate account of the Crested wheatgrass was well adapted who differed greatly in training and nature, extent and importance of to grow under these conditions, and background, were to work together the range resources of the “short- could be established with a mini- for most of their professional careers, grass” section of the Canadian mum of cultural preparation on and to contribute much toward bet- Plains. After his transfer to the abandoned fields still in the weed TECHNICAL NOTES

stages. Furthermore, crested wheat- stressed clear expression of ideas, grass was relished by livestock and and helped many a beginner in the withstood heavy grazing. The re- art of technical writing. Above all, sults of this research were especially he set an example of dedication to timely for the drought conditions of the job of developing range science the 1930’s. Beginning in 1935, sub- in Canada. stantial funds were made available He was a member of many pro- for range improvement under the fessional and scientific groups in- Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act. cluding the Ecological Society of Reseeding of abandoned crop lands America, Agricultural Institute of and other depleted ranges proved to Canada, Western Canadian Society be one of the most effective mea- of Agronomy, and Canadian Society sures in this program. of Animal Production. In 1948 he Another interest of Clarke’s was was made a Fellow of the Agricul- his quest for an alfalfa which would tural Institute in recognition of his compete with grass and remain pro- leadership in rangeland studies. ductive under range conditions. As In 1946, at the age of 66, Sid Sidney E. Clarke early as 1938 he and Dr. J. L. Bol- Clarke reached retirement age, a ton started experiments with crosses situation which seemed particularly CLARKE, S. E., J. A. CAMPBELL AND between Ladak alfalfa (Medicago desirable after a serious heart at- J. B. CAMPBELL. 1942. An eco- media) and creeping yellow Sibe- tack in 1945. The need arose at this logical and grazing capacity study rian (M. falcata). This work has time, however, for the post-war re- of native grass pastures in- south- been continued by Dr. David Hein- establishment of the Range Experi- ern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Dom. of Can., Dept. of richs, now in charge of the forage mental Station at Kamloops. Clarke Agr. Tech. Bull. 44. l-31 pp. crop program at the Swift Current agreed to undertake this assignment CLARKE, S. E., E. W. TISDALEAND N. Station and has produced the va- and did not actually retire until the riety “Rambler” which is proving A. SKOGLUND.1943. The effects of task had been completed in 1948. climate and grazing practices on well suited to range and dry land The last years of his life were shortgrass prairie vegetation. Dom. farm conditions. spent quietly and happily with his of Can., Dept. of A&. Tech. Bull. One of Clarke’s many activities wife, Mabelle, at .their home in East 46. l-53 pp. lay in direct contacts with ranchers. Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver. CLARKE, S. E., J. A. CAMPBELL AND There was no range extension ser- “Dot” loved his garden and took W. SHEVKENEK. 1944. The identi- vice in Canada at that time, and his great pleasure in raising a variety fication of certain native and informal type of extension helped of flowers, fruits and vegetables. naturized grasses by their vege- greatly to spread good range prac- His health and mental vigor re- tative characters. Dom. of Can., tices. He was well known and heart- Dept. of Agr. Tech. Bull. 50. l-129 mained good until a few months be- ily welcomed by literally hundreds fore his death on September 8, 1963. of stockmen across the plains re- CLTP~K,S. E. ANDE. W. TISDALE.1945. , gion. I Sid Clarke’s professional career The chemical composition of na- He also played a major role in was not a long one, but it was out- tive forage plants of southern Al- the professional development of standing in accomplishment. His berta and Saskatchewan in rela- many men who are now active combination of broad research and tion to grazing practices. Dom. of Can., Dept. Agr. Tech. Bull. 54. workers in range science. These in- extension interests was particularly l-60 pp. clude, in approximate chronological suited for his role as the principal pioneer of range science in Canada. CLARKE,S. E. 1949. Weeds poisonous order, E. W. Tisdale, N. A. Skoglund, to livestock. Agric. Institute Re- J. A. Campbell, J. B. Campbell, SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY view. 4: 103-108. W. R. Hanson, Alastair McLean, CLARKE, S. E. 1930. Pasture investi- KIRK, L. E., T. M. STEVENSONAND W. A. Hubbard and T. G. Willis. gations in the shortgrass plains of S. E. CLARKE. 1934. Crested wheat- The author was Clarke’s first assist- Saskatchewan and Alberta. Sci. grass. Dom. of Can., Dept. of Agr. ant at the Manyberries Station and Agr. 10: 732-749. Pamphlet 157. l-22 pp. worked closely with him until 1935 CLARKE, S. E. AND E. W. TISDALE. TISDALE,E. W., A. MCLEAN AND S. E. and again at Swift Current during 1936. Range pasture studies in CLARKE. 1954. Range resources the period 1941-1946. and Saskatche- and their management in British Clarke was a tremendous worker wan. Herb. Rev. 4: 51-64. Columbia. Jour. Range Mangt. who expected nothing of his staff CLARKE, S. E. AND D. H. HEINRICHS. 7: 3-9. 1941. Regrassing abandoned farms that he was not prepared to do him- THOMSON, L. B. 1938. Dominion and depleted pastures in the prai- Range Experiment Station. Re- self. This drive was combined with rie areas of western Canada. Dom. sults of experiments, 1927-1936 in- a zest for life and a keen realiza- of Can., Dept. of Agr. Farm. Bull. clusive. Can. Dept. Agr. Rept. tion of the need for relaxation. He 103, l-23 pp. l-55 pp.