204 



GRAZING ON WOODLANDS 



of seriousness. Likewise, the injury from sheep on estab- 

 lished bed grounds was almost invariably heavy. 



Both the character and abundance of the forage, and the topo- 

 graphic features determine very largely the extent of damage 



done to the timber 

 reproduction. The in- 

 jury on bunchgrass 

 range was appreciably 

 higher than that re- 

 corded on gramagrass 

 range, the percentages 

 Df injury recorded 

 3eing 32 and 11, 

 respectively. Accord- 

 ingly, it may be con- 

 cluded that it is a 

 good deal safer to 

 graze cattle than sheep 

 on the bunchgrass type 

 of range. Considerably 

 less damage to the re- 

 production was re- 

 corded in those years 

 when the supply of 

 succulent and palatable 

 feed was ample than 

 in those seasons when 

 the forage was deficient in quantity or of an inferior quality. 



In 1908, Pearson^ initiated a study to determine grazing 

 damage to western yellow pine reproduction on the Coconino 

 Forest in northern Arizona. On the open range the damage 

 to pine seedlings i to 3 years of age was found to vary from 10 per 

 cent to 28 per cent, and on established sheep bed grounds and 

 on driveways the damage was even greater. His studies, like 

 those of other investigators, showed that horses and cattle do 



Fig. 67. — FORKED AND OTHERWISE DEFORMED 

 TREES ARE OFTEN THE RESULT OF THE 

 BROWSING OF FORAGING ANIM.^LS. 



Such deformities materially decrease the money value of the 

 merchantable timber. 



u, 



' Pearson, G. A., "Reproduction of Western Yellow Pine in the Southwest.' 

 S. Dept. of Agr., Forest Service, Cir. 174, 1910. 



