The Colorado statesman., 1914-03-07
AID STOCK GROWERS
Range Improvement VIII In
crease Meat Supply.
shown That the Forage Resources on
the National Forests Represent Val
liable Asset Upon Which the We'll
fare of stockmen Depends.

Salt Lake City recently, and said that
the question Of meat supply is in
volved in the methods of grazing used
on the national forests. He also made
the statement that overgrazed ranges
can be improved quicker through use
than they could be if they were left
idle.
He pointed out that the forage re-
sources on the national forests rep
resent a valuable asset upon which
not only the welfare of the stockmen
depends, but that of large proper
ton of the people. The task of the
government has been to work out
plan which would develop this re-
source and promote its use to the
fullest extent without harming tree
growth.
During the first three years of ad-
ministration, from 1867, the problem
of the service was to take care of
areas which had been badly over
graZed, and a material reduction had
to be made in the number of stock
grazed before the damage could be
stopped. From the very beginning,
the forest service invited the coop
VI lie SlOChluen anu
with them regarding the practicability
Of the plans which were to be adopt
ed. This cooperation was secured
through the various stockgrowers as
sociations and it was SO successful
that similar associations have grown
up among other users of the national
forests.
Before range control was put into
effect, the feed belonged to the man
who got his stock on the land first
though there was no way by which
he could hold it except by physical
force. Under such a system, might
made right, and the only thought was
to get what feed there was while it
lasted. This condition led to serious
controversy and out of it grew the
range wars which often resulted in
loss of life and property. Under the
present control, right prevails, and
had nothing else been accomplished,
Mr.. Potter said, the removal of this
one evil alone would have made the
work worth while.
But he went still further and stated
that the systematic use of the ranges
has stopped loss of forage and that
the feed formerly wasted has been
putting the stock in better condition,
with the result that, in many cases,
the stockmen have been able to sell
beef and mutton direct from the
ranges where they were before pro-
ducing only animals which had to be
fed and conditioned before they could
be put on the market.
He called attention to the expert
ments of the government in artificial
ly reseeding the grazing areas to cul-
tivated grasses, and showed that in
some cases the forage crop has been
increased as much as 400 per cent
He maintained, however, that this
method is both slow and expensive
and said that the great part of the
range lands must be improved by pro-
lection and natural reseeding, for the
next 20 years at least He said, too,
that investigations have established
beyond doubt that natural reseeding
can be accomplished best by a rota-
ton system of grazing based upon the
simple principle that grazing aids in
scattering and planting the seed after
the seed has been given an opportu-
nifty to mature. Reports show that
areas protected until after seed ma
turity and then grazed, as compared
with areas absolutely protected for
the whole year against grazing, are
approximately so per cent. better, and
probably 200 per cent. better than
range which has not been protected
at ALL This means that ranges can
hn irnprpuad aStar in than thew
can be in idleness and the principle
is being adopted on many of the for
ests.
He also spoke of the new open sys-
TEN of handling sheep, which is sim
ply quieter herding during the day
and bedding the sheep where night
overtakes them. He contrasts this
with the old plan of herding sheep
close by the use of dogs and return
ing them each night to fixed bed
ground. The old plan, of course, rem
dered certain areas absolutely bare
and the going from and returning to
the bed grounds trampled great
deal of forage. He estimates that an
increase of 10 to 25 per cent. has
been added to the carrying capacity
of the ranges and that five pounds
weight has been added per lamb, be-
cause they have not been harassed by
herding or forced to trail long dis
tances to and from bed grounds. On
5000 200 lambs this means 25,000,000
poul.Is added to the sheepmen's sal
able product, and to the country's
meat supply.
He gave an amusing instance of a
government experiment in which 1t
was attempted to try out the old
alongside of the new system, but it
was found impossible to secure a
sheep owner who would return to the
old method, except through bonus.