The Winslow mail., 1911-12-23

est is 1nterfered with Many tim
berland owners are willing to
offer grazing privileges upon ex-
tremely favorable terms because
they are not planning to grow
another crop of trees Replanted
areas must be closed against
grazing for few years, and
where reproduction is difficult
cut-over areas must be protec-
ted, by reducing if not excluding
the stock, until the young trees
are out OF danger from tramp
ling or nibbling. Since, however,
the al ca cut-Over and that re-
planted each year form, COM
bined, less than one per cent Of
the total area of the Forests, no
serious interference with grazing
is involved.
CAREFUL investigations of the damage
done young trees by stock in the South
west showed over twenty per cent Of
the seedlings and young trees seriously
injured, and in some cases on ranges
used extensively by sheep over fifty per
cent, but the most damage was done
when feed was scarce and was therefore
largely due to overgrazing. The imme
diate and urgent problem which new
confronts4us is the development Of the
ranges to the highest possible state of
productivity.
The gradual increase of the carrying
power of the ranges will be brought "a
bout through improved methods of
handling stock and OF growing the for
age crop A careful study is under way
to ascertain the character of all land
within the Forests, the kind of stock to
use, and the undergrazed, fully-grazed
and overgrazed areas,
Experiments i'll lambing sheep in small
enclosures proved that, under some
and labor can be made more than enough
to Offset the cost. In the coyote proof
pasture experiments regular herder
without assistance fr ON the Forest Ser
vice, handled the sheep with the same
reductions in expense, amount of range
required, and percentage of loss, aud
the same increase in weight Of lambs,
as in preceding years. The mountain
bunchgrass range Investigations have
shown how, by proper rotation in the
grazing, to secure thorough natural re-
seeding of overgrazed land without Sc
rious decrease of the number of stock
while the range is being restored
Many forage species have been tested
through artificial reseeding expert
ments. The introduction of new grasses
is very difficult problem. Red top was
found to succeed better than any other
cultivated grass on poorly drained bogs
where the soil is acid, while Hungarian
bronze grass is better adapted to arid
localities. Timothy is fairly drought re-
sistant and yet can be depended upon
to make good stand in moist meadows.
| On the lands studied the most promis-
ing cultivated species for range reseed-
ing were found to be, named in the or
der of their Importance, timothy, Hun
garian bronze, Italian rye, redtop Ken
lucky bluegrass, alsike and white clover
orchard grass tall meadow oat grass,
Canadian bluegrass, and hard or sheep
| fesCue In all cases except III parts of
tie Southwest fall seeding has given
much better results than sowing in
/ spring.
| 1t is important that stockmen
strengthen their organizations and
keep up live interest in them There
are now siXty - eight advisory boards,
representing local livestock associa-
tions, which are cooperating effectively
with the Forest Service in the settle
ment of grazing problems. Advisory
boards of both the American National
Livestock Association and the National
| WoOlgrowers Association are being con-
suited and are giving valued assistance
with regards to matters which affect
| the interests of the stockmen as
whole Matters of vital interest to every
| locl1m mdster in the land arc continually
coming up, aud call for efficient or
carnations of range users. The Forest
Service is entering new fields of scien-
tific range management and is engaged
upon problems of great interest to the