Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-09-20
A GRAZING QUESTION
Secretary Wilson, of the Department
Of Agriculture Favors Grazing
on Forest Reserves.
1T is BENEFICIAL TO FORESTS
Separate Superintendents and More Rangers
Should Be Appointed for Each Forest
Reserve-All irresponsible Herd
ers Should Be Excluded,

Secretary Wilson, of the department
Of agriculture, has expressed himself in
favor of the grazing of sheep on e.. .st
reserves. At least, so says dispatch
received from Washington yesterday
The question has been studied for some
time by departmental officials, both of
the interior department as well as the
agricultural department. The interior
department had given orders to prohib-
, 1T sheep and goats grazing on the for
: est reserves, but those orders are only
temporary, pending an investigation of
the grazing question and the opinion
expressed by Secretary Wilson, who is
more thoroughly familiar with the
question than any other official, may
lead to the resembling of the order soon
er than had been expected
Primarily, the interior department
has the disposition of the lands Of the
forest reserves, but inasmuch as many
questions properly coming under the
agricultural department are involved,
the advice Of that department Is fire.
quently sought before any great step Is
taken.
II am most certainly in favor of al
lowing grazing on the forest reserves"
said Secretary Wilson, when asked for
his opinion. "Ever since I have been
acquainted with the question Of re-
serves l have favored a grazing sys-
tenn, and I stand to-day where / have
always stood.
IRRESPONSIBLE HERDERS
II think that all sheep grazers who
are thoroughly reliable and respectable
should be allowed access to the forest
reserves during the summer season, but
at the same time should exclude from
the reserves every irresponsible sheep
herder, for they are the class that have
in the past done so much harm. A herd
er who has an idea of the value of the
timber on the reserves, as we'll as the
value of its grasses, will not go in and
set fire to the forests. 1t is those for
eigners whose sole interest lies in their
sheep, and I must admit some Ameri-
cans, too, who wilfully destroy the trees
in order to make more extensive pas
lures. That class Of herders should re-
lceive no recognition at the hands of the
government.
A RIDICULOUS CHARGE.
''The charge that grazing on the re-
serves is Injurious to the forests is ut
terly ridiculous. Understand, I am as
much interested in the forests as In the
sheep, and do not favor any scheme or
any system that will advance one In
dustry at the expense of the other, but
where both can be benefited by a judi
cious management of our forest re-
serves I am most certainly in favor Of
such a policy. Just as an instance of
how grazing helps the forests, take this
example: In the spring months the
grasses on the reserves grow up, and
by early summer afford the best kind of
pasturage. If that grass is allowed to
stand undisturbed all summer it will
dry up in the fall, and the slightest sort
Of a light will start a raging fire that
will cost probably many thousands of
dollars before it can be controlled. Yet
if sheep had been allowed to Craze on
that area they would have eaten the
grass close to the ground and the little
blaze would have extinguished itself for
lack of fuel
BENEFICIAL TO FOREST.
$50, you see, a properly restricted
grazing of the forest reserves serves to
benefit both the sheep and the forests.
The sheep do not harm the trees of the
forest, and where 1t is essential they
can be kept away from the water sup
plies. The talk that the sheep, If al
lowed in the reserves, will eat the young
trees is all wrong. Sheep will do moth
ing of the sort. They are after the
lgrass, and where there is an abundance
of good rich grass such as they find in
the reserves they cannot be induced to
touch any other fodder.
A SUPERINTENDENT FOR EACH
RESERVE.
There is one thing, however, that
should be done which would greatly
benefit the forests, and that is to place
each of the reserves under the immedi-
ate charge of a responsible superintend
ent, a man who has the country's inter-
ests at heart. He should be acquainted
with forestry questions, and should be
given complete sway in the reserves. He
should have the authority to permit
grazing, and should permit only the re-
sponsible herders, as have before sug-
gested, to enter the reserves with their
flocks.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION NEEDED
Then, to insure a better manage
ment, this superintendent should be
! held personally responsible for the care
and protection of the reserve under his
charge, and should be held strictly ac-
countable for every fire. Undoubtedly
increased to insure a better protection
of the forests This would cost consid-
, erably more each year than Is now ex-
! lpended, but the results would soon JUS
r tify the expense, as would be shown by
1.-The decrease in the number of fires and
extinguished. The forces now in the
\ field are too small to cope with forest
( fires especially after they gain head
: way, and cannot be held strictly ac-
o countabe but with a larger force and
n each superintendent for himself, you
: would observe that forest fires would
k become almost unknown.
"This is matter that needs congress
sional attention. We in the departments
lean only recommend and this we have
!. done'
gl $2.85, Albuquerque and return, Sep.
Itember II, IS, ~, 20 and 81.