Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-03-30
|GRAzlNG OF SHEEP
Secretary Hitchcock Is Investigating
It's Effect On Forest Reserves
In the West.
CLAIMS OF SHEEP OWNERS
The Conditions On Every Forest Reserve
Are to Be Investigated Separately
Secretary Wilson Is Asked for
Information.

Secretary Wilson, of the department
of agriculture, has received a commu-
nication from Secretary Hitchcock, of
the department of the interior, asking
his aid in solving the problem of graz
ing in the western forest reserves. The
division of forestry will i'm
mediately an investigation which will
last several months.
The controversy over the alleged evil
effects of sheep grazing has involved
western cattlemen, wool growers n
farmers in a bitter wal for many years,
and the recent Increase of irrigation
has added to the bitterness. Govern
ment action in the matter has been has
tened by the establishment of forest re-
serves In view of the injury to the for
ests in many sections from o~vergraZing,
all reserves except those in Washington
and Oregon and the Black mesa reserve
in Arizona, which is to be opened to
300, 900 sheep at 8 cents a head, are
closed to sheep by an order issued last
May. This step has raised a storm of
protest from wool growers, who insist
that no harm is done by grazing under
proper restrictions. Many are reported
to have driven their herds into the
mountains last summer in defiance OF
the law.
Against the sheep owners are arrayed
in a few districts the cattlemen and
| farmers, and especially the irrigators
| who claim the practice means disaster
| to agriculture in the lowlands. These
argue that sheep destroy the forest COW
| er in the mountains and thu diminish
| the water supply. They are said not
only to eat the young growth which is
| to perpetuate the forest, but to tramp
| down innumerable seedlings and de-
| stroy the layer of leaves necessary tC
| keep the soil in good condition. Sheer
herders are accused of burning large
| areas in order to secure a growth OF
| grass. While the government will de-
| eide the matter only in the Ease of the
forest reserves, these include a large
| part of all the summer ranges of the
western sheep-raising states, and the
results will be of great Importance tt
the American wool-growing industry.
AS no general rule can be applied
each reserve will be studied separately
The first step of the division of forestry
will be to collect impartially the testi.
mOny of both sides. Lists of questions
will be sem to thousands Of sheep mer
and their opponents. About July / al
examination of the reserves will begin
A number of botanists, irrigation eX'
perts and similar scientific men will bt
secured from all parts of the United
States, and they will spend severa
months in the field. In addition, all tielt
parties Of the division of forestry en-,
gagged in other work in the interested
regions will be required to give time t.
the sheep questions also. Secretary
Hitchcock has asked the department o
agriculture to give special attention t.
the following phases:
Relation of grazing to taxation ant
the general prosperity of specified local
tiles.
Relation of grazing to forest fires.
Relation of grazing to the preserva
ton and reproduction of forest.
Relation of grazing to irrigation ant
water supply.
Effects of grazing by different kind.
of stock.
Moderate grazing and over-grazing.