FOREST SERVICE. 389 



values became noticeable about October, Sheep owners were antici- 

 pating another severe winter season; the drought had greatly reduced 

 the supplies of feed on the winter ranges; the surplus stocks of hay had 

 been exhausted during the previous winter; the season's hay crop was 

 being held for higher prices; and the outlook was not an encouraging 

 one. In consequence many transfers of sheep were made at prices far 

 below those of preceding years. 



The winter of 1910-11 was in most localities a very favorable one, 

 and all classes of stock wintered well except in southern Oregon, where 

 heavy losses were sustained because of a shortage of feed upon the 

 desert ranges and unfavorable weather conditions. The spring of 1911 

 opened early in districts 2 and 3, and late in the remaining districts. 

 Where it was early the foothill ranges showed some signs of drying 

 out, but timely spring and summer rains have put all of the Forest 

 ranges in excellent condition. Where the spring was late some of the 

 sheepmen were unable to use their customary lambing grounds and 

 were somewhat inconvenienced because of this fact, but no serious 

 losses resulted. The range conditions at the close of the fiscal year 

 were generally the best since the ranges came under the control of the 

 Forest Service. The results of the effort expended in past years to 

 secure a proper distribution of stock, to open up new grazing lands, 

 to provide new sources of water supply, and in every way to increase 

 both the production and the utilization of forage are now becoming 

 manifest. In the grazing seasons of 1909 and 1910 the weather con- 

 ditions were so adverse as to obscure the gain achieved. It is now 

 plain, however, that range regulation is actually giving the stock 

 growers more and better feed for their stock as well as security in the 

 use of the range and consequent stability to their industry. 



Important Changes in Live-Stock Industry. 



Prior to the year 1911 an annually increasing number of stock 

 growers requested the privilege of substituting sheep for cattle upon 

 the National Forest ranges, but this year there has been a noticeable 

 reaction in favor of cattle, in all but the most northern States. Many 

 Forest users who stocked their ranges with sheep instead of cattle a 

 few years ago now desire to engage in cattle raising. This is wholly 

 attributable to the fact that low prices for wool and mutton products, 

 comVjined with the occupation by new settlers of many choice lamb- 

 ing grounds and winter ranges, have robbed the sheep industry of 

 many of the attractions which it formerly held for small operators, 

 while a strong demand at exceptionally good prices for all classes of 

 cattle has made that industry more profitable than it has been for 

 many years. The demand for sheep grazing pri"\aleges necessitated 

 the opening to that kind of stock of many ranges better suited to the 

 grazing of cattle, and the change which is apparently taking place 

 will prove beneficial to the extent that it will result in the restocking 

 of this class of range with the kind of stock best adapted to it. In 

 the Northwestern States the tendency is still from cattle growing to 

 sheep growing. 



