and give my attention to private interests." 



In asking that the effective date be deferred, Col. 

 Graves wrote to Mr. Potter that "your retirement 'will 

 be a very great loss to the public service. The work 

 that you have done in building up a system of manage- 

 ment of the National Forest ranges is a gigantic 

 achievement. 



"Previously millions of head of stock ranged 

 over the western mountains without any regulation 

 whatsoever. The ranges were overgrazed and abused. 

 * Dangerous erosion was starting in a multitude 

 of places. It was your work which built up a regula- 

 tion of the National Forest ranges, and substituted 

 orderly use for the chaos which existed before." 



32 



