402 



ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



PROTECTION AGAINST WILD ANIMALS. 



Forest officers killed the following animals li armful to livestock and 

 to game animals and birds : 



This is an increase of 109 per cent over the number of animals 

 destroyed last year. The number of bears killed increased 151 per 

 cent, of %volf pups 139 per cent, and of coyotes 107 per cent. Wolves 

 and coyotes are particularly destructive animals. The benefits of 

 this w^ork are cumulative, for the animals killed off cease to breed as 

 well as to levy toll upon the stock and game on which they feed. 



Good progress was made in clearing parts of the range of prairie 

 dogs. iMany of the Forest officers have become proficient in the 

 methods found to be most successful. This work was carried on as 

 widely as possible with the funds available. Stockmen displayed an 

 active interest in the work, and in a number of instances cooperated 

 with the local Forest officers. 



PROTECTION AGAINST POISONOUS PLANTS. 



Much smaller losses of stock through poisonous plants w^ere reported 

 than in former years. This is believed to be due to the cooperative 

 work conducted b}^ the Forest Service and the Bureau of Plant Indus- 

 try to determine the character and location of the plants which have 

 caused the heaviest losses, and to recommend means of prevention 

 and cure. These means were chiefly the adoption of better methods 

 of range control and fencing of the most dangerous areas. Further 

 investigations w-ere made by the Bureau of Plant Industry of a few 

 cases of poisoning mentioned by supervisors in their annual grazing 

 reports, and the investigations of the previous year at the experiment 

 station on the Gunnison National Forest w^ere continued, special 

 attention being given to the different varieties of larkspur and loco 

 w^eed. Stockmen have displayed a great interest in this work. 



FORAGE AND PASTURE INVESTIGATIONS. 



The most noteworthy investigation initiated w^as a system of 

 grazing recomiaissance, wdiich wnll ultimately be applied to all 

 National Forests. This reconnaissance is planned to determine the 



