The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-02-09


rouncement by the U. S. Civil Service
Commission OF an examination which
will be held February % and "a to
find three grazing examiners for the
Forest Service The positions will pay
n salary of $1,000 a year at entrance.
lie announcement specifice that
the applicants must be men, at least
twenty years old, and possessed OF at
Least one seasons experience in hand.
ling range stock, together with at
least one year of technical training in
specified botanical studies.
The establishment of this position |
is in line with the objects which the
Department Of Agriculture has always
had i'm view in it's management OF
grazing on the National Forests. II
is not merely seeking to prevent cat
tie and sheep from doing damage to
forest growth and watershed condi-
tons, as they Craze on the heritage
which Is yearly produced in the open
forests, parks, ana high mountain
meadows within the National Forests
Range-rcd stock are a matter of decid
cd importance to the American peo-
ple i'm these days of rising prices for |
food products and diminishing sup
plies, in proportion to population, OF
livestock, and therefore Secretary
Wilson intends that every acre of
National Forest range shall lie made
90 produce as much forage as 1t is
capable of doing, consistently with the
carrying out of the other purposes
for which the National Forests are
maintained.
Ever since the Forest Service took
over the management of the National
Forests, it has been studying the
range problem along with its regula-
ton of grazing In the beginning it
was confronted with the fact that a
very large part of the range had been
badly abused and depleted through
the competition of rival owners be-
fore any restrictions had been put
upon them, and by overcrowding and
supporting power had in consequence
been greatly reduced, and was stead
lily declining. To enable oyergrazed
areas to recuperate and to prevent
the extension of overgraged conditions
to new areas, the amount of stock to
be allowed on the Forests was every
suits were then observed, and IL It
appeared that there was still over-use
OF the range, the numbers permitted
were cut down still further. On the
other hand, where recuperation has
taken place the allowance of stock
has been correspondingly increased
who are both thoroughly trained bo.
tanists and men of practical expert.
ence in range matters indicates rec.
ognition Of the fact that to attain
the highest point OF range productiv-
ity the best scientific knowledge must
be applied to the study of the prob
lens OF forage production and utiiiza.
ton. AS stock Craze on the range,
the effect on different kinds of
vegetation differs both with its paia-
liability or applicability and with its
capacity to produce seed. its time of
seeding, its resistance to trampling,
its manner Of growth, and many 9th.
er elements.
What is aimed at now is nothing
less than to find out all the things
on which depend the production of
the largest amount OF beef, mutton,
wool, and hides on a given area. This
involves learning how both TO restrict
and to time the grazing so as not to
interfere with the reproduction of the
most valuable elements in the forage
crop, now to prevent unnecessary loss
to feed through trampling and in
other ways, how to exterminate pois.
onous plants from the range, how to
prevent the loss of forage which re-
suits from the multiplication of prai-
RE dogs and gophers, whether IL is
practicable to introduce new forage
plants by direct seeding, and many
other matters. 1t is to look into such
matters that the grazing examiners
are to be appointed,
Besides seeking to bring about the
recuperation Of depleted ranges, the
reduction of waste, and the develop
ment of all range to what may be
termed an artificial state of produc
tiveness through control of reproduc
ton, accompanied, it is hoped. by the
introduction Of new forage plants, the
studies planned will aim also at in
creasing the area of range available
There is much natural grazing land il