Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-01-16
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 Craze livestock on Uncle
Sans National forests and the neces-
sity of going ahead with the work OF
developing the forest ranges TO the ut
most are emphasized by Acting for
ester A. f. Potter. The settlement Of
the public domain brings new appll-
cants for grazing privileges with each
succeeding season. while the continued
high prices received for meat, wool,
and hides are an incentive for the old
er permittees to endeavOr TO increase
their numbers. New permits for an
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 $1,549,O0O."
The winter season of 1867 was
the most disastrous the range stock
men of the West have known, Mr..
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 a scarcity OF
hay, which was hard to get at any
price, stockmen suffered severe losses.
The lamb crop for the entire West
was probably IS 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 to 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
a 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 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
recuperation of a large area of grama
grass range on the Tornado Range re-
serve. On the high mountain lands
of the Manti National forest in Utah,
! IL was found that erosion and decrease
in soil fertility following overgrazing
materially lengthen the period neces-
sary for the grass TO "come 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 Tornado Range re-
( serve calf crop fully 10 per cent
/ above the average was saved from
breeding herd held on a fenced range
under improved methods and given
small amount of supplemental feed.
/ From another herd. fed an average Of
/ 50 pounds of cottonseed cake per head
and given still better care, the calf
crop exceeded the average by more
than 20 per cent.
On some of the Utah, Montana and
! California forests tests were made
which further demonstrated the adj
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 sailing
cattle and in showing the value OF
we'll distributed watering places. On
a number of forests demonstration
tests were made of eradication of the
poisonous tall larkspur. In every case
/ the losses from poisoning were re-
duced 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.