The herald., 1893-05-28
AEEP OR FORESTS MUST CO.
he Two Cannot Exist on the
Same Land.
he Way San Bernardino County
Meets the Problem.
pms Drastic Measures Adopted-The
Watersheds Must Re Protected.
The Subject Considered In
All Its Phases.

IN Bernardino county in connection
ith the regulation Of the "sheep nui-
Incs'' has attracted attention all over
10 state and started anew the discua-
ON which has been going on for many
sars in connection with the unregu-
ted free pasturage of these animals in
le mountains, says the San Francisco
hronicle. The San Bernardino officials
ere 80 we'll convinced OF the necessity
taking steps to suppress the practice
,at they adopted an ordinance impos-
~ heavy license upon sheep, and an
ther forbidding the driving OF those
nimsls on the public highways in
reater numbers than 100 in single
ock.
The reasons for this action are these;
here ia in the mountains OF San Ber-
ardino. as elsewhere in the state, q
,ree area OF vacant public land which
Hords more or less paHturage during
ae summer months. 1t has for years
cen the custom OF owners Of sheep In
diacent counties to drive their animals
nto the mountains in the early spring
nd to keep them there al summer, st
expense to themeelv.d except for
orders. They have enjoyed This priv
ege 80 long and have made much
Money out OF it that they have come to
box upon il as a right ans to resent
nv interference. They assume to own,
at least control, tho various mountain
anges, though they have not, in truth,
shadow of title. They even go 30 far
q to useviolence TO prevent others from
anticipating in the privilege OF the free
lasturnge.
The San Bernardino officials appear to
ave had variety OF motives in pass
no the ordinances referred TO. One is
hat as the bulk OF the sheep belong TO
nen residing in other counties they
hould be compelled to contribute aome-
hing to the support OF the county
wherein they find free paBturage. Many
heepowners have managed in the past
w cieverly shifting their bands to es-
ape taxation altogether, but they will
10 longer be able to do so, at least not
n San Bernardino county. Another
eason is to be found in the nuisance
reated by driving sheep through set
led communities in large bands. There
re many localities in the south where no
ences are maintained, and lawns and
lower gardens extend to the roadside
With no protection. 0rchards, vineyards,
Italia fields and grain fields are equally
pen. The sheepherders drive their
reat herds through these places with
he utmost disregard of the rights OF the
owners along the roadside.
The sheep epread out and devour every
e Il
very object within quarter OF mile
lud leave in their wake pathway OF
like that produced by q
.yclone. With the evident design of
ursging upon tie country through
which. they pasH, the sheep are not bur.
led, tils are rather encouraged to loiter
nd feed as they travel, until they leave
broad belt that looks as If grase-
hopper visitation had occurred. Besides
his is the sutlocating odor of the ami
mails, which pollutes the air for days
after the passage OF band, while il one
lie or give out, es is continually happen
ng, it is left by the roadside, or, likely
,nough, in home acequia or stream
whose water ia used for drinking pur-
POSES.
But this is only the beginning of the
york OF destruction The final destina-
ion OF the sheep lies in the mountains.
Here they have things all to themselves
md run riot for months. Nobody who
ass ever seen q mountain range that has
peen "sheeped to death" rs the expres.
non goes, need be told anything about
t. But there are many who are not 80
we'll posted, and for their benefit few
acts drawn from personal observation
nay not be amiss.
From the sportsmau's standpoint the
presence of sheep in the mountains 10 to
De deeply deplored. They foul the wat
srs OF the streams and drive away the
rout. They eat the grass on the ciene-
Eas and make il impossible for the deer
20 obtain their usual food Their dead
bodies pollute the water and the air, and
heir excrement fills the springs and the
water courses. Where sheep are cattle
and horses will not go, and as the own
lrs of these animals have just as much
light to free pasturaGe on the public do
main as the eheepowners they are GER
iainlv justified in their objections to the
nonopolization of the mountain ranges
by the sheep men.
But these are after all minor obiec
lions, though Of convincing effect ON the
part of those who suffer the evils COM
planned of. There are other objections
n which the entire public can join.
Wherever sheep range it is an utter
lmpoasibility for the forests to reproduce
themselves after having been destroyed
from whatever cause. These animals
travel in compact bodies and they liter
ally trample into the dust every living
thing. A mountain range where sheep
are pastured will, at the end OF the
hummer, be made up of series of beaten
paths, with no green thing in sight.
During the winter and spring the seeds
of pine ard fir may take root and make
feeble attempt at growth, but when
the sheep come in again there is a sud-
den end of the struggle. Renewed for
est growth and eheep pasturage are ut
serly and entirely incompatible.
Worse than all this is the destruction
caused by the sheepherders among the
full.grown forest trees. There are in all
mountain ranges many hundreds oi
square miles OF brush which covers the
ground too thickly to allow the growth
of grass. TheE, TOO, among the old 'or.
este the earth is frequently so heavilv
carpeted with pine needles that only 3
little scattering herbage can grow. But
If these brush thickets and messes ol
pine needles are burned, the next sea
son a denee growth of grass will follow
which the sheep devour with avieity
Hence the herders, when through witt
a certain range in the GUNNER or wher
lsaving for the valley in the fall, are &C
customed TO set fire to the brush anC
needles, and the flames are communi
Gated to the trees, with the result tha
hundreds of thousands of acres of gian