The Coconino sun., 1927-09-16
GRAZING RULES IMPROVE
CAPACITY OF RANGES

Albuquerque Systematic control of
| grazing in the national forests has
| increased their productivity by 25 per
cent, w. f. Chapline, in charge of
range research in the forest service,
United States department of agricul-
| ture, said here.
At the same time, Mr.. Chapline
said, the regulation Of grazing on the
ranges has improved the condition Of
| the live stock where it has been ap-
piled. The range land in the west pro-
vides about 70 per cent of the feed for
cattle, sheep and goats raised in this
section of the United States, and yet
this valuable resource has been so
neglected that about so per cent Of
the range land is producing only one
half the forage which it could pro-
duce, due to overgrazing, which holds
back the forage growth and allows
erosion or washing away Of soil to
take place.
"As early as $780," said Mr.. Chap
line, range grazing lands were
stocked to their capacity while some
were already overstocked. The con-
tinued overstocking, especially during
drouth, reduced the carrying capacity
both by reduction in the quantity Of
valuable forage produced and by in
creasing erosion of the productive sur
face soil. Reduction in grazing ca
pacity necessitated decreased numbers
of live stock with resultant excessive
per head investments in lands and inn
provements, and economic production.
The high prices for live stock during
the war and a desire to increase pro-
ducti0n brought another over-expan-
sion in the industry, heavy invest
ments, additional overstocking, and
more serious deterioration of ranges.
The subsequent depression has wiped
out the fortunes Of thousands Of live
stock owners and carried many banks
to bankruptcy. Furthermore, the ero-
sion of the range has carried millions
of tons of debris from the ranges into
the irrigation reservoirs, filled irriga-
tion bitches, destroyed roads and other
works, and ruined many farms by
blanket Of sand and gravel. The loss
to the irrigation farmer has been as
great as that to the live stock pro-
ducer."
The forest service is determining
how much grazing can be done on va
maintain satisfactory forage growth
This knowledge is applied on the ma
tional forests where grazing is al
lowed only under permit, and the use
Of the range is limited with a view
to perpetual maintenance of the for
age crop and stable live stock produc-
ton. According to Mr.. Chapline
there are still 250,000,000 acres Of
range land in the unappropriated and
unreserved public domain with its in
termingled state and private lands, on
which grazing is inadequatelv con-
trolled. These lands are rapidly los
ing their vegetation and being left
open to soil erosion which paves the
way for uniting them for any use
at all.
s'The whole problem is one of build
ing d profitable industry on ranges
where essential parts have been de-
pleted, excessive non-producing in
vestment established, and credit badly
crippled" said Mr.. Chapline "Tim-
Der production must be maintained,
eroded watersheds restored, other uses
Of the land protected, and close CO.
ordiation made between farm land and
ranges"
The forest service maintains three
range experiment stations, the Great
Basin in Utah, the Jornada in New
Mexico, and the Santa Rita in Ari-
zona. Several men also are assigned
to the study Of special problems in
other parts Of the country, and the
service is cooperating with other
branches of the government in range
and live stock Investigations. Expert |
ments to date have clearly indicated
that the satisfactory use Of range for
age offers the greatest possibilities
for developing more efficient produc-
tion, decreasing costs and increasing
profits in the range live stock busi-
ness.
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