The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-01-19
PROTECTION
MAKES IRRIGATION
GOVERNMENT FOREST EXPERT
GIVES THE FORESTERS SOME
GOOD INSTRUCTIONS

Mr.. Clarence E. Favre of the U
s. forest service is just closing an
instructive series of lecturers before
the students of the school of forestry
University of Idaho, on forest graz
ing. Mr.. Favre took his masters de-
gree in forestry at the university In
1915, and at once entered the forest
service where he has made for him
self an enviable reputation in graz
ing administration. He is at pres
ent supervisor to the Humboldt Nation
al forest with headquarters at Elko,
Nevada.
In summing up his series of ad-
dresses, Mr.. Favre said in part, "The
western states can perhaps all be
classed as essentially an irrigated dis
trict and therefore anything that
would serve to diminish the stream
flow or cause the flow of streams to
be irregular in these states should be
a matter of intense interest not only
to those directly concerned, but to
all the people of the United States.
1t has been recognized for number
of years that stream flow can be IN
fluenced very materially by provld-
ing or maintaining vegetatlve cover
on the headwaters of our streams.
We. however, fail to recognize in the
great majority of cases that this veg
etative cover should consist not only
of tree growth but also various other
plant species. such as grasses, weeds
and brush. While the tree growth
serves to protect the snow from the
rays of the sun, it does not furnish a
serious mechanical impediment to
rapid run off, nor is the root sys
tenn of trees such as most effectively
to retain the surface soil, when being
washed by rapidly flowing water. 1t
is rather the underground that is the
real reservoir which supplies irirga
tion water in the time OF real need
in the summer months.
From the above, it can readily be
recognized that irrigation farming is
closely associated with the business of
and regulating stream
flow, which in turn involves the prac-
tice of forestry. There is also an
other important industry of the west
that must be associated directly with
forestry and also with farming and
that is stock raising. Certainly, the
majority of our farmers in the west
ern states are directly or Indirectly
dependent upon stock raising, which
in turn is dependent very greatly up
On the remaining public domain and
The national forests. AS is already
we'll known, the public lands in the
western states are becoming very
much depleted, hence greater num-
oers are continually clamoring for adj
mittance into the national forests.
At the present time, the naional for
ssts within the western states are sup
porting during the summer season
some 100000 cattle and horses, H.
500 swine and 100000 sheep and
yoats. 1t seems rather questionable,
therefore, whether or not there is
'oom for more stock. In some local
ties perhaps there is, but generally
speaking, l would say that the Ma
ional forest range is somewhat over
stocked at the present time. Particu-
arly is this so in certain parts of |
Utah, Nevada and southern Idaho.
With careful handling of the livestock !
however, in these localities, the over
tocked condition may be overcome
O great extent.
1t is understood that in certain To-
alities, some of the reservoirs which
upply irrigation water for the farms
elow are being filled with silt wash
d down from the neighboring mount
ins. This may or may not be caused
v over grazing those particular
However, it is entirely
kelly that over-grazing has consider
BILE to do with it. Again, in other
ocalities serious erosion is taking
lace which is being brought about
v the over-grazing of the vegetative
over, thereby leaving the soil ex
osed directly to the action of the
veather conditions. Grazing well
on the other hand, can be
f immense benefit to the farmer,
tockman, and forester, since for the
armer and stock grower the summer
razing lands provide pastures for
he stock while the crops are being
rown on the farms, while the forest
r directly, as well as the farmer and