220 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The decrease in the cost of labor and the completion of the read- 

 justments in nursery activities caused by the smaller appropriations 

 during the war resulted in a material increase in the area reforested; 

 but until more funds are made available the work can be conducted 

 on only an extremely small scale in comparison with the extent of 

 the job. The total amount of land repeatedly burned over, chiefly 

 before the creation of the forests, which can be restored to pro- 

 ductivity only by planting is estimated at, at least, 1,500,000 acres. 

 At the rate at which planting work is now being conducted, it will 

 require between 150 and 200 years to reforest these denuded areas. 

 The work is now largely concentrated in those regions where the 

 greatest success is obtained, such as the productive pine regions of 

 northern Idaho, western Montana, and the Lake States. Even in 

 these regions, however, the scale of operations is necessarily small 

 in comparison with the denuded acreage. 



RANGE. 



- GENERAL CONDITIONS. 



Except in Arizona and New Mexico and around the Custer National 

 Forest in Montana, national forest range conditions were exceptionally 

 favorable throughout the West during the grazing season of 1921. 

 Heavy snowfall in the mountains the previous winter, an early 

 spring, and copious rains extending into the early summer months 

 produced a most plentiful supply of forage on the ranges and an 

 abundant hay crop on the ranches. A prolonged drought held on in 

 Arizona and New Mexico until well into the summer, but was finally 

 relieved by heavy rainfall, and at the close of the 1921 season these 

 ranges also were in excellent condition. The Custer National Forest 

 in Montana suffered one of the most severe droughts ever known, 

 which, together with a serious grasshopper infestation, caused a 

 shortage of the beef crop and poor condition of breeding stock to 

 begin the winter. Elsewhere the fall conditions were favorable and 

 most of the stock remained on the forests for the full season. 



The winter of 1921-22, however, was one of almost unprecedented 

 severity and duration. The abundant hay crop of the preceding 

 summer was entirely consumed, and many stockmen were compelled 

 to turn their stock on the range in the spring in advance of forage 

 growth. This was so late in starting that in the Northwest and 

 Rocky Mountain region ranges normally in condition to use by the 

 first of May were at the middle of June still snow-covered in many 

 places, and with scant vegetation where the snow had gone. There 

 were heavy losses of breeding stock, and especially of lambs. The 

 loss of sheep was increased by the over age of breeding ewes, a result 

 of depressed market and financial conditions which had prevented 

 flock masters from selling their old ewes and replacing them with 

 younger animals. 



aSE OF THE RANGE. 



The table on the following page shows the number of stock under 

 permit for the calendar year 1921 : 



