The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-05-07
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS
Much Money Will be Spent by For
estry Service During the Year.

Much Money Will be Spent by For
estry Service During the Year.
Washington, April 29.-Six hun
dred thousand dollars will be spent
during the fiscal year 19OS-19O9
for the construction OF roads, trails,
telephone lines and other permanent
Improvements on the national for
ests. Congress has appropriated the
same amount for this purpose dur
ing the fiscal year of 1909-1910.
In order that the forest rangers
may cover the large area contained
in the district, it is very necessary
along routes which give the best
control of the areas to be patrolled.
In many districts telephone lines have
been built between the supervisors
office and ranger headquarters, and
to prominent peaks which are used
for lookout stations TO observe fires.
To fight forest fires effectively it
is of the utmost Importance that
force of men be rushed TO the fire as
soon as possible, as these fires can
be controlled and put out if taken
when they are small, whore it wouiA
be almost impossible 10 check them
after they had spread over a large
area. For this reason the telephone
lines and trail systems are of vital
importance and have played no
small part in the patrol system which
has resulted in the remarkable small
area burned over since the forests
aave been under government super
sion.
Among athe, necessary improve
ments rtov:slvd sol, the service takes
up the matter OF the betterment of
ange conli;joss First. by the con
strnction OF drift fences, which are
for the purpose G. keeping stock
within the area allotted to them and
10 save The time or the herders.
Second, 5y the lnrlcvng of springs
and watering PAGES, In many sec
inns cs the west lalge areas have
hceu OF nc s.,luc G.. account of the
lack OF water q lrins large portion
CT the year l'y .he fencing and pip
lug of th,. sun g ard providing
a1eqnase storage, the service has
been allie to &C. serve a supply Of
water Whioa enables these ranges
to be used throughout the season.
Third. by the fencing of bog or mire
holes. AS fast as possible, places
where the loss of stock from miring
in bog holes has been heavy are
being fenced so that the cattle can
not get into them. Fourth, by the
fencing of poisonous areas. In GER
tain sections of Colorado there is
a poison larkspur which, during the
spring season, will poison stock that
Craze on it. These places are being
fenced and the stock kept. away from
the areas until the poisonous season
is over, when they are opened for
grazing.
All of the national forests are di-
vided into districts which are under
the direct supervision of a forest
ranger who looks after the timher
cutting and grazing matters, and pa
trolls his district to detect and pre-
vent forest fires. AS the national
forests are located in mountainous
and timbered country and have but
few settlements within their bound
aries, it is necessary to provide these
rangers with quarters convenient to
the districts over Which they have
charge. These quarters consist of
small house, a stable for his sad
die horse, a fence enclosing "a pas
ture for his stock, and occasionally,
the fencing Of small garden patch
and a small piece of hay land to
provide fodder for the stock during
the winter.
The forest service also co-operates
with the states, countless and com.
munities, in the construction of
wagon roads, trails and bridges,
which will make accessible bodies
of mature timber, and otherwise as.
sist in the control. and use of the
forests.