168 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



terests dependent upon them. As has already been 

 said, the first problems in range management were 

 to stop the damage which was being done by 

 unregulated grazing and to provide pasture for the 

 stock already there by readjustments and the open- 

 ing up of unused ranges. It was soon apparent, 

 however, that before any definite plans could be formulat- 

 ed for progressive range development, there must be a 

 careful study of the plants and grasses which made up 

 the forage crop and of the methods under which their 

 best use might be secured. This was begun in 1907, in 

 co-operation with the Bureau of Plant Industry, by the 

 construction of an experimental pasture on the Wallowa 

 National Forest in Oregon. The object was to leant 

 whether it was possibe to construct a pasture fence which 

 would be proof against coyotes and other predatory ani- 

 mals, and to 

 determine the 

 advantages of 

 loose grazing 

 over herding in 

 the handling of 

 sheep. The re- 

 sults proved 

 that a fence 

 could be built 

 which was 

 proof against 

 all kinds of 

 predatory ani- 

 mals except 

 bear, and that 

 sheep grazing 

 loose only re- 

 quired two- 

 tnirds the area 

 used by sheep 

 which were 

 herded ; besides 

 the sheep in the pasture kept in better condition than 

 those which were herded and the lambs weighed about 

 eight pounds more than lambs of the same grade and age 

 from bands grazed outside under herd. 



The above indicated a waste of about 50 per cent of 

 the forage under the herding system and studies and 

 experiments were begun to find out how this loss might 

 be overcome. The most practicable solution has been 

 found in the adoption of what is commonly known as 

 the loose-herding and bedding-out system. This means 

 simply allowing the sheep to graze naturally during the 

 day with the least possible amount of driving or herd- 

 ing together into close bands and bedding where night 

 overtakes them. In this way the damage from constant 

 trailing back and forth to the same bed ground is elimi- 

 nated. The adoption of this plan has brought about a 

 marked improvement in the condition of the range and 

 in many instances has enabled the stockmen to raise 

 lambs which weighed five pounds more than the lambs 

 raised under the old close-herding system. 



RESTING AT NOON 



A typical scene on a National Forest range. The constant award of first prizes in the big shows testifies 

 to the quality of such stock no less than the topnotch price it always brings in the markets. 



Experiments were made in lambing within coyote- 

 proof pastures on the Cochetopa National Forest, for 

 the punse of ascertaining the saving in labor and other 

 expenses which could be made in this way, as well as 

 the decrease in loss of breeding ewes and increase in 

 the number of lambs raised which might be obtained. 

 The results were very satisfactory and have led to the 

 adoption of this method in other localities where areas 

 suitable for lambing pastures were available. 



Reseeding the range both by artificial and natural 

 means was gone into extensively and experiments con- 

 ducted in a great many different localities. It was found 

 that artificial reseeding offered a reasonable chance of 

 success only on the better portions of the range and more 

 particularly on the mountain meadows, and that for im- 

 provement on the bulk of the National Forest range 



natural reseed- 

 ing of the na- 

 tive plants and 

 grasses must be 

 depended upon. 

 It was also 

 found that a 

 better stand of 

 new grass was 

 secured on 

 areas which 

 were grazed 

 after the seed 

 had been sown 

 than on areas 

 from which the 

 stock were ex- 

 cluded, thus 

 proving that 

 the range could 

 be revegetated 

 faster in use 

 than in idleness. 

 This led to the adoption on many of the National 

 Forest ranges of what is called deferred grazing, which 

 means simply keeping the stock off of a certain portion 

 of the range each year until after the seed crop has ma- 

 tured and then by placing the stock upon it, not only 

 utilizing the mature feed but also assisting in planting 

 the seed for future forage crops. By this method the en- 

 tire range may be reseeded naturally every four or five 

 years and its grazing capacity increased without removal 

 of the stock or decrease in their number. 



The importance of knowing the identity, value and 

 requirements of the plants which make up the forage 

 crop on the National Forests is becoming more and more 

 apparent to Forest officers and the stockmen. Such 

 knowledge of the vegetation facilitates immediate appli- 

 cation of new information secured by investigations on 

 stock poisoning plants, natural and artificial revegeta- 

 tion, proper seasons of grazing, adaptability of range to 

 different kinds of stock, and carrying capacity. Since 

 this work began in 191 1, collections have been made of 



