1905 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 26c 



periods when danger from fire was now prevailing of issuing permits, 

 greatest. During the winter months when it is shown that such grazing 

 many of these were furloughed, so will not injuriously affect the young 

 that at one time the number employed growth of timber on the reservations, 

 was only 200. A comparison of the there seems to have been devised a 

 figures showing the enormous acreage fairly satisfactory plan. There have 

 of these reservations and the number been issued 843 permits to graze i,- 

 of rangers now employed in protecting 806,722 head of sheep in twenty of the 

 them must show to anyone how inade- reservations, and 5,822 permits to 

 quate the existing force is. This is es- graze 610,091 head of cattle and horses 

 pecially true when we consider that in forty-eight of them. Sixteen con- 

 means of rapid communication within ditional permits to graze sheep to the 

 the reservations are very slight and number of 38,100 in the Washington 

 growing less. Formerly the trails Forest Reserve were issued by the See- 

 were kept open by those travelling retary of the Interior, which were not 

 through the regions now in reserva- to be delivered unless the Forest Su- 

 tion on business of various sorts, perintendent found that the grazing 

 Such travel decreases after the reser- areas desired by the sheep owners 

 vations are created, and as a conse- could properly be so used. Six per- 

 quence the roads and trails become less mits were also issued to allow 16,100 

 passable owing to fallen timber and head of sheep to cross reserves in or- 

 other obstacles. Recognizing the ne- der that they might reach private lands 

 cessity for rapid communication with- within the Sierra Forest Reserve. In 

 in the reserves, this Association passed furtherance of the determination of 

 a resolution at its annual session, in the department not to allow the forest 

 December, 1903, calling upon Con- reserves to interfere with the transac- 

 gress to appropriate $500,000 to be tion of any proper business, permits of 

 used in the improvement of roads and a temporary character have been 

 trails within the forest reservations, granted allowing stock to cross certain 

 The matter was presented to Congress reserves to reach necessary shipping 

 by the Secretary of the Treasury, with points and for other proper purposes, 

 recommendations of the Secretaries of A bill providing for the punishment 

 Agriculture and the Interior that an of persons pasturing stock within for- 

 appropriation of $50,000 be at once est reservations without a permit has 

 made for this purpose, but too late in been recommended by the Secretary of 

 the session to obtain favorable action, the Interior, and some such measure 

 It is earnestly hoped that some appro- should certainly be passed. Other leg- 

 priation for this purpose may be made islation necessary for the good admin- 

 by the present Congress. istration of the reserves is that author- 

 That the Forest Rangers are very ity should be conferred upon forest of- 

 successful in extinguishing fires ap- ficers to make arrests for violation of 

 pears from the report of the General the laws and regulations relating to 

 Land Office, which shows that during forest reservations. Such a measure 

 the past year 231 fires which had pass- was introduced in the House of Repre- 

 ed the incipient stage were extinguish- sentatives at the last session of Con- 

 ed a decrease from the prior year of gress (Bill H. R. No. 7396) and re- 

 forty-eight in this class of fires. Ow- ceived favorable action in that body, 

 ing to the constant patrolling, the It is to be hoped that the Senate will 

 number of fires passing the incipient pass this bill before the adjournment 

 stage diminishes year by year. of the present Congress. 



The grazing: privilege within the 



forest reservations is one of the most SALES OF TIMBER WITHIN FOREST RES ~ 

 valuable to the public, and at the same 



time one of the most difficult to admin- The policy of selling the mature, 



ister, keeping in view both the pur- dead, and down timber within the for- 



poses of the reservations and the gen- est reservations has justified itself and 



eral public good. Under the system is constantly increasing. During the 



