The Monticellonian., 1918-01-11
ASK GRAZING PERMITS
Live Stock Owners Demand Use
 of Uncle Sans Forests.
Season Most Disastrous Rangers of West Have Ever Experienced,
 Losses Being General.

A continued increase in the demand for permits to graze livestock on Uncle
 Sans National forests and the neces- 1 sity of going ahead with the work of l developing the forest ranges to the ut most are emphasized by Acting For ester A. r. Potter. The settlement of the public domain brings new appli- cants for grazing privileges with each l succeeding season, while the continued high prices received for meat, wool, and hides are an incentive for the old CT permittees to endeavor to increase their numbers. "New permits for an i increased number of animals and an advance in the grazing fees made dur ing the past year brought the total re- ceipts from grazing up to S1,5490 000."
 The winter season of 1916-17 was the most disastrous the range stock men of the West have known, Mir. Potter states. There have been years when the local losses were heavier. but never when the losses were so general in every range state. As a result of continued severe weather throughout the winter months and scarcity of hay, which was hard to get at any price, stockmen suffered severe losses. The lamb crop for the entire West was probably 15 to 20 per cent below the average while the calf crop was considerably below normal Because of the shortage of feed on the open range, the national forests were open ed te grazing in advance of the regular season and several hundred thousand sheep and cattle were admitted to the forest ranges.
 The number of cattle on the forests the past season was nearly 100000 greater than in 1916. and the number of sheep more than 100000 greater. This increase. it is stated, was due to q more intimate knowledge of the for age growth and the carrying capacity of the ranges. and to efforts made to increase production of live stock to meet the emergency food needs of the country.
 About 1.100000 acres were examined by the grazing experts of the service during the year. The information gained will, the forester says aid in raising the number of live stock on the ranges to the maximum, without excessive damage. Light grazing for three years has resulted in excellent reeuperation of large area of grama grass range on the Jornada Range re- serve. On the high mountain lands of the Manti National forest in Utah, it was found that erosion and decrease in soil fertility following overgrazing materially lengthen the period neces- sary for the grass to "ceme back"
 A study of the methods of herding goats has resulted in an improvement in the handling of these animals on the range On the Jornada Range re- serve a calf crop fully 10 per cent above the average was saved from breeding herd held on fenced range under improved methods and given small amount of supplemental feed. From another herd, fed an average of 90 pounds of cottonseed cake per head and given still better care, the calf crop exceeded the average by more than 2U per cent.
 On some of the T7tah, Montana and California forests its were made which further demonstrated the ad- vantages of the ''bedding out" system of handling sheep over the old method of close herding with dogs. Advance was made in the methods of salting cattle and in showing the value of well distributed watering places. On q number of forests demonstration tests were made of eradication of the poisonous tall larkspur. In every case the losses from poisoning were re- dueed to an extent which more than justified the cost. Minor investigations were also started to work out methods of getting rid of other poisonous plants.