The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-19
REMARkAB
PROGRESS
MADE
IN WORK OF GOVERNMENT FOR
EST RESERVE BUREAU.
Reseedin9 OF Oenuded Areas and
Installation of Nurseries-NeW
Method Of Handling Stock.


accomplished by the U. S. Forest Ser.
vice In the various districts of the
west, show astonishing results, both in
the amount of progress made alons
lines which were practically of an ex-
per!mental character, as well as the
great saving Of property, both to the
government and the people as we'll In
no department of the service has for
est control proved of a more benen.
cial nature than in the office of graz
ing, and notwithstanding the sundry
statements Of disgruntled indiyidual;
who have found their methods OF
graft drawn to a sudden close. the
figures presented speak for them
selves.
1t is very easy" said Assistant
District Forester F. w. Reed, today,
"for even the layman to perceive the
benefits which have accrued through
government control of forests and to
distinguish the rapid increase of bene.
fits from year to year as the proposi
tloD becomes more and more simDli.
fed. These, betterments in the graz
jhg department include n variety OF
things. For instance, the reseeding OF
Genuded areas and the installation of
nurseries for the growing of seedl.
ings. hr
New methods for handling stock
are constantly being tried for ex,
ample. take the experiments In fenced
berding Of sheep now being made in
an Oregon forest. A tract Of land
has been fenced off from the range
in which a certain number of sheep
will be grazed, and outside the fenced
area a like number will be heTded
whether the animals do better while
feeding by themselves and allowed to
scatter over more territory, than
when herded together in droves ON
the open range. In the latter method,
the feed is tramped down more, owing
to the close packing of the sheep.
"The eradication OF poisonous plants
such as lark spur and wild parsnip is
another important matter. Many
sheep die each season from these
and other plants and an effort is now
being made TO determine the poison
GUS ones and provide means for their
determination. One flock which came
under my observation last summer
lost a large number through eating
wild cherry bush. These sheep had
been herded on the desert for some
time and were half famished. Upon
reaching the foot hills where the wild
cherry brush grew thickly. the ami
mails gorged themselves upon 1t and
of iTNr II a. fo1y
This plant is not poisonous. of course,
and would not have injured the sheep
IL nibbled In small quantities. The
leaves contain prussic acid.
"The development OF water re
sources is an item which is attract
ing much attention in some districts
where good range can not be used on
account of the scarcity of water In
the Targhee forest, especially, is a
large tract which Is dry and investt-
cations are being made to provide a
supply from underground sources.
Small springs and Seepages which
nre usually tramped into uselessness
by the cattle are being opened up
and piped to reservoirs in numerous
sections.
by working in conjunction with
the quarantine inspectors of the Bu'
reau of Animal Industry, a great deal
OF good has been done to prevent the
spread of diseases, such as black leg.
scabies, big head, foot rot and others.
A vaccine is now III use for black
leg and is distributed widely where
the disease has commenced to ap-
pear.
mo small item; too, is the extermi-
mating of predatory animals, such as
bear, wolves. coyotes, mountain lions
and others which prey upon stock,
causing heavy loss each year 1t is
stated that the killing of these ami
mails last year by forest service en-
pioyes saved stock valued at an
amount eQuallying the amount paid
N grazing fees, or S96O,OOO."