FOEEST SERVICE. 403 



character of all land within the Forests, the class of stock to which 

 each natural grazing unit is best adapted, the natural periods of use 

 for grazing purposes, the undergrazed, fully grazed, and overstocked 

 ranges, the areas upon which poisonous plants abound, and the areas 

 infested w4th range-destroying rodents. Such a reconnaisance of a 

 Forest, when completed, Vvill furnish a reliable basis for the prepara- 

 tion of a grazing working plan, which will be used as a guide m the 

 allotment of grazing privileges, the determination of improved 

 methods of range control, and the improvement of the ranges. The 

 work was begun last spring. The results hitherto obtained are incom- 

 plete, but are very valuable. The season's experience will make it 

 possible to continue the work under a better plan and with broadened 

 scope. A reconnaissance of this character is essential to a systematic 

 administration of the grazing business. 



Artificial reseeding operations were conducted on a considerable 

 number of Forests, but were confined principally to inclosed areas, such 

 as ranger pastures and other administrative sites, where the experi- 

 ments could receive careful attention, and where the results would 

 have a practical as well as an " experimental value. The severe 

 drought wliich prevailed during the spring was highly unfavorable to 

 germination and gi'owth. The few experimental reseedings of open 

 ranges were unsuccessful for the same reason. The chief lesson 

 taught by the experiments seems to be that fall sowing will give a 

 greater probability of success. 



The investigations of methods of natural reseeding have progressed 

 along satisfactory lines. The study which has been conducted during 

 the past tlirce years to determine the best methods for revegetating 

 high ranges upon which mountain bunch grass naturally predominates 

 was continued. In general, the investigations have demonstrated 

 conclusively that by proper rotation in the use of grazing lands it is 



f)ossible to secure a thorough natural reseeding of certain classes of 

 and at adequate intervals, without any serious decrease in the amount 

 of forage produced. To fix the proper periods of rotation for different 

 localities will require considerable technical investigation. 



The pasture experiment which for tlxree years past has been con- 

 ducted upon the "VVallowa National Forest was continued during 

 1910 along new lines. Detailed observations are made only at the 

 beginning and close of the field season. During the remainder of the 

 time the sheep will be under the care of the regular herder, who will 

 collect simple data regarding their movements and will patrol the 

 fence every second day. It is probable that the experiment will be 

 concluded at the close of the present field season. The results of 

 this experiment have awakened widespread interest among sheep 

 growers. Several sheepmen who constructed similar pastures 

 because of the showing made report that the ventures have proved 

 very profitable, while a number of applications have been received 

 for ])ermits to erect similar inclosures upon other Forest lands, 

 eitlicr independently or in cooperation with the Forest Service. 

 These latter have been rejected because of the inadvisability of 

 hampering the administration of the Forests by leasing large areas 

 of Forest land, and because the success of the system on all classes 

 of range has not been definitely establisiied. The primary objects 

 of the experiments have been accomplished, since it has been demon- 

 strated that the grazing capacity of certain classes of Forest lands 



