Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-07-08

be authorized to Craze on the
81 national forests during the
" season of 1910, determined by
@ the secretary of agriculture,
shows an increase in the total
number which will be allowed as
compared with the number last
year, of approximately 100000
cattle and horses and 100000 sheep
and goats. The total allowance for
the coming grazing season is 1857 900
cattle and horses and S,323,0O0 sheep
AMI goats.
The most important increases are
in the states of Nevada, Colorado,
Montana, Utah and Washington, and,
except IL Nevada, where over a mil
lion acres have been added to the ma
tional forest area of the state, through
the creation of the Nevada forest, are
the result Of improved range condi-
lions due to regulated grazing. In
the other states any local reductions
which have been necessary to safe
guard the forest range have been Off
set by increases on other portions of
the range, so that in no state has the
total number of stock to be grazed
been materially reduced.
1t can be stated that the secretary
Of agriculture is very solicitous to
secure the fullest possible utilization
of the range resources of the national
forests, in order that the forests may
contribute, just as far as is consistent
with proper protection of the range it
self and of the forest growth, to the
market supply of beef and mutton.
Range-fed stock contribute very mate
rally to the food supply of the coun-
try, and, under the grazing methods
which have been brought about by the
government control of the forest
range, marked improvement in the
weight and quality of the stock pro-
duced as we'll as an increase in the
number Of head is being brought
about. Contrary to widespread be-
lief, the United States department Of
agriculture does not consider the burn
ing over of national forest lands as
an effective means of dealing with
the cattle tick and the dreaded fever
which it spreads. This is set forth by
Secretary Wilson in the following pas
sages of a recent letter to Representa-
tive Floyd of the Third Arkansas dis
trict:
Il have just received a communica-
ton from DR. Cooper Curtice, veteran
airy inspector of the bureau of ami
NAL industry of this department, set
ing forth certain opinions respecting
the burning of forests and ranges to
destroy ticks which infest cattle and
transmit disease, in which the depart
ment fully concurs. Doctor Curtice
has had many years experience with
tk>2 department, is one of the orig
inal Investigators of the fever tick,
and has probably had more experience
in this line of work than any other
scientist. He has recently made
tour through northern Arkansas and
investigated the conditions which ex-
list in that locality, and his observa-
tons are therefore quite pertinent to
the question of conflict in the policies
of the bureau of animal industry and
the forest service. The observations
of Doctor Curtice are, in effect, as
follows:
1T is true that at certain times of
the year burning the grass on an in
closed field may remove the ticks
wherever the fire travels, but even
then many places remain unburned
and the owner depends on the fire for
eradication and consequently fails.
At meetings of cattle men and others
| have been speaking against the prac-
tise of burning over the forest ground
and have held that no work would be
saved in the process of eradication
because the cattle should necessarily