Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-02-13

In order to control the movements
Of sneep and cattle grazed under per.
mits on the national forests, the gov
eminent is constructing what are
known as drift fences which facilitate
the counting and handling of me ami.
mails. These fences also help to re.
gnlate the time when stock may en-
ter the forests, so that sheep and
cattle can be kept off in the early
spring until the young grass and 9th
er forage plants have had a chance
to%get ?a start.@In some cases, too,
they eabrict grazing to certain
areas and serveaeisher ito project
some grazing grounds OF to secure
q complete utilization of the forage
on others. 4
What IL a Drift Fence.
The drift fences are not enclos.
ures hut generally extend tor long
distances across the country, much
lie the drift fences or snow
fences along railroad rights of way.
The, railroad fences, however, take
their name from the fact that they
serve to pde The wind.blown snow to
the winf*'ard side OF the track, so
1t will not settle in the cuts and i'm
pede traffic. The drift fences for
stock keep the animals from going
in certain directions, or drifting"
to use a cattleman's expression, or
restrict them to specified areas for
the winter and to others for the sum.
mer. They may also prevent stock
from grazing upon areas where pois.
0nous plants are found; thus they
lessen the cost Of herding and pre-
vent losses.
Examples of the use of drift fences
are furnished in several built on the
Dixie forest Of Utah, where stock
grazing is important. Five miles
Of drift fences were built by the gov.
eminent on this forest to protect
the water supply of the city of st.
George from contamination by forest
range cattle. This, with other STREET
ches Of substantial wire fence in
connection with rocky lodges, which
are equally good barriers| against
stock, makes. the southern boundary
of one of the divisions OF His forest
stock proof, except at certain estab-
lished gateways. During the com.
ing year sixteen miles OF fence is to
be built across the northern part of
this division. This will distinctly Sc.
parate the northern range from that
to the south, which. is OF an average
some 5000 feet. higher and will be
used exclusively as summer range. BY
keeping the stock. on the separate
areas until the forage on the other
has had a chance to start, both VIM
ter and summer range will be greatly
improved and their carrying capacity
increased.
Horses, Cattle ind Larkspur.
Another interestilg. development is
four and 5one-haH miles of drift
fenc con the Fishlake forest in the
same state. 1T wasabuilt to keep cat.
tie on the north side and horses OF
the south where larkspur grows in
Larkspurt is very ,pois-
onous to cattle, but is not eaten at
all by horses. Before this fence was
built. 50 cattle had died in one
month, June; after. 1t vas built and
the cattle were excluded from the
darkspur areas there was a further
loss of only 5, though July and Aug
lst are considered by cattlemen in
Utah the worst months for larkspur
:oisoning. Forest officers therefore
nave estimated that this fence, which
cost $40, saved $1,000 in the, first
year it was built and should save
$4,000, or five times it's cost, each sea
ION. It is said, too, that 1t increases