The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1918-01-17
Summer Range to Accommo-
date 100000 Head Avail
able in North Idaho.
WANT MORE MUTTON
Forest Officials Anxious to Di-
rect Attention of Sheep
and Cattle Men.

r. H. Ruthledge, district forester
with headquarters at Missoula, was In
the city last Sunday in conference with
Supervisor c. X. McHarg, of the local
forest office Mr.. Ruthledge also re-
Gently visited points on the Clearwater.
Summer range for 100000 head Of
sheep is offered by the national for
ests of northern Idaho and the officials
are anxious to direct the attention OF
the sheep growers and st0ckmen, with
the view that the production of NUT
ton and wool may be increased 10
meet the demands of the world war.
While in this section Mr.. Rutledge gave
out the following statement:
Last season the national forests In
the northern part of Idaho furnished
summer range for approximately
100000 sheep and we can handle double
that number hereafter The department
is anxious to have all OF this range oc-
cupied for several reasons.
''In the first place there is a great
demand for mutton and the reports
would indicate there is great short
age of wool. We believe the national
forests offer solution to this prob
lem. The sheep can be maintained
In the agricultural districts during
the winter period, pastured in the
summer fallow fields until the early
summer and then moved to the ma
tional forests for the summer range.
The cost per sheep is cents for the
! fields for the fall and winter and the
summer fallow fields for the spring,
the sheep industry is open to the
owners of agricultural lands and the
cost of placing mutton and wool on
the markets is materially reduced.
THE pasturing of sheep in the
national forests is "a benefit to the
department through reducing the fire
hazard. The sheep will eat off and
tramp down much of the vegetation
that becomes highly infiammable
during the period of forest fires and
/ in this way sheep are very valuable
to the forestry department. We are
in hopes that western sheepmen will
take advantage Of the summer range
offered by the department and that
the national forests may he filled to
their limit with sheep"
On Highway Plans.
Mr.. Ruthledge stated it Is his under
standing that the construction of the
first link of the Lewis and Clark
highway from Kooskia to Lowell,
distance of 35 miles, will he taken up
this year as soon as weather condi-
tions will permit. The finances for
the construction have been provided
by the forestry department, the
kosllia highway district and the
state and the matter of construction
is now only Il matter of engineering
work and awarding the contract.
He said the forestry department is
favorable to the construction of the
highway from Montana to connect
with the Middle Fork terminus at
Lowell but. the plans for the construc-
tion have not been worked out
Only preliminary survey has been
made up to the present time and def
mite action cannot ne taken until
permanent survey and estimates of
cost have been submitted He ex-
planned that when this data is avail
able. the department can proceed
with the formulation of plan bv
which the department. the state and
the county can cooperate in the con
strntion work, The details of this
cooperation will necessarily be de-
ferred until the estimate of cost is
provided, but il is not improbable
that the state could incorporate the
Lewis and Clark highway in its pro
gram for post road construction and
thereby secure portion of the Idaho
appropriation of federal money for
this movement
Mr.. Ruthledge stated the highways
constructed under the supervision of
the forestry department are of the
most permanent character, with 16
foot roadways and a permanent sur
face of fine gravel or crushed rock.
He regards the Lewis and Clark high
way as one of the most important
transcontinental projects in which
the government is now Interested