1900. 



AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 



is to discover and report the essential facts, 

 and upon them to base its recommenda- 

 tions. In order to destroy any chance of 

 mistake or misunderstanding upon this 

 subject I quote from an official statement 

 by the Honorable Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture. Certain misconceptions of his at- 

 titude, by which he has been represented 

 as uncompromisingly hostile to forest 

 grazing having been widely circulated, 

 it is important that you should know 

 where he stands. He says : 



" ' Every question of grazing should be 

 decided in each reserve and each part of 

 a reserve on its own merits. As a rule, 

 grazing should be regulated, not prohib- 

 ited, except in special cases like southern 

 California. Many parts of forest re- 

 serves contain excellent grass and other 

 forage which can be harvested only by 

 grazing and which should not be wasted.' 



" This investigation will be carried out 

 strictly in the spirit of the Secretary's 

 statement. 



"Just now public interest in forest 

 grazing is exceedingly keen. Great in- 

 dustries will be affected by a decision to 

 permit or prohibit it in the forest reserves 

 or in any part of them. The possibilities 

 for public and private gain or loss are 

 large. Radical differences of honest 

 opinion are frequent, and testimony both 

 that grazing injures the forest and the in- 

 terests that depend upon it, and that it 

 does not, is forcible and abundant. While 

 you should hear both sides fully, and 

 should avail yourselves of whatever 

 friendly assistance you may require and 

 either side may offer, your report must be 

 based on your own personal observations. 

 The statements of interested parties should 

 be tested in all cases by comparison with 

 the facts you have yourself ascertained at 

 first hand on the range. It is of the first 

 importance that you should know the 

 range thoroughly. You will find it neces- 

 sary to plot the ranges on a map as part 

 of your report. 



" It is essential that a full description of 

 the forest should accompany each discus- 

 sion of the effect of grazing upon it. An 

 outline for such a description is supplied 

 to you on a separate sheet. 



"Your report should be illustrated and 

 your conclusions supported throughout by 

 numerous photographs. 



" The following list of questions is in- 

 tended to indicate some of the lines along 

 which facts are needed. It is not com- 

 plete. The questions apply to all kinds 

 of grazing animals, but especially to sheep, 

 since sheep grazing is by far the most im- 

 portant grazing question which relates to 

 the forest reserves. Your attention is 

 specially directed to the last two questions, 

 the need of a full report upon the relative 

 effect of grazing by different kinds of 

 stock, and in particular upon the relative 

 loss and gain if grazing is permitted or 

 prohibited. 



SPECIMEN QUESTIONS. 



"i. What kinds of plants are grazed, 

 in order of preference, including grasses, 

 herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees? 



"2. Are conifers eaten, and if so, under 

 what circumstances and to what extent? 



"3. How does grazing affect the native 

 grasses ? 



"4. How is over-grazing related to 

 forest preservation ? 



" z,. Does continual moderate grazing 

 affect the reproduction of the forest, and 

 if so, how and to what extent? 



"6. Do grazing animals injure young 

 trees by trampling? If so. how and to 

 what extent? 



" 7. Are old trees, if shallow-rooted 

 kinds, such as Spruce, injured by tramp- 

 ling? 



" 8. Is damage done to soils of various 

 kinds and situations by trampling, and if 

 so, how and to what extent? 



"9. Does grazing affect the run-off of 

 streams? If so give proof in full. 



" 10. Does grazing affect the superficial 

 run-off of rain-water? 



"11. Do the streams from areas de- 

 nuded by grazing carry more sediment 

 than formerly, and if so, how is it proved ? 



" 12. Does grazing increase or diminish 

 the danger from fire ? 



" IT.. Do herders or stockmen set fire 



./ 



to the forest in order to improve the range? 

 "14. What is the effect of repeated 

 burning on the forest and on the range ? 



