IMPROVEMENT IN RANGE CONDITIONS 



117 



Deep Canyon Showing Rocky Cliffs. 

 AN important factor in increasing costs of moving camp and of field 



EXAMINATION BY THE GRAZING EXAMINERS. 



000 head, with a possible further in- 

 crease of several thousand head. 



There has been some difhciilty in 

 getting the herders to adopt this new- 

 system for the reason that it means 

 harder work, but experience has shown 

 that after the sheep get used to the open 

 system of herding they are no harder to 

 handle than under the close herding 

 system. All good herders take a pride 

 in having their sheep look weU and there 

 is often the keenest kind of competition 

 among them in getting their herd on to 

 the best bedding ground. As such 

 herders come to realize that it means 

 better sheep they voluntarily adopt the 

 open herding system out of pride in 

 seciiring the best possible resiilts. 



OTHER INVESTIGATIONS. 



The Forest Service is carrying on 

 many other studies and experiments 

 with a view to helping the stockmen 

 secure a better utilization of the forage 

 resources of the National Forests and 

 to raise more and better stock. In 1911 



[American Forestry is indebted to the Forest Club Annual of the University of Nebraska for the cuts illustrating this 



article.] 



a systematic range reconnaissance was 

 begun to learn the exact proportion of 

 the Forest land which was suitable for 

 grazing and to find out the character 

 of the different ranges; the kinds of 

 grasses and plants growing in each 

 locality ; the kind of stock to which they 

 were best adapted; and in fact, to get all 

 of the information which would be of 

 value in promoting the ftdlest possible 

 use of the lands. Over 5,000,000 acres 

 have already been covered by this 

 siirvey. Aside from the actual acreage 

 covered this work has accomplished 

 something even greater by starting 

 systematic, intelligent study and classi- 

 fication of the ranges on practically all 

 of the grazing Forests. The result will 

 be more eqmtable distribution of range 

 between permittees, improvement in 

 management of the stock, utilization of 

 unused range and intelligent develop- 

 ment of the range lands to their highest 

 use. The success which we have had 

 in all this work has been due largely to 

 the hearty cooperation of the stockmen. 



