THE FORESTER. 191 



committee in making the canvass, by gathering data regarding the 

 stock on the National Forest and adjacent ranges. It appeared that 

 veiy heavy shipments would have to be made from the intermountain 

 region. The situation in Montana and Wyoming was even more 

 critical, for in many places in these States the estimates indicated that 

 at least 75 per cent of the stock would have to be shipped to market 

 or feeding points. 



The relief committee, with the cooperation of many county agencies, 

 agricultural representatives, and other Department representatives, 

 is assisting stockmen to avoid the necessity of placing their drought- 

 stricken stock on the market at a sacrifice by directing them to winter 

 feed. In addition, it has been developed that large quantities of hay 

 are available in the Middle Western States at prices suflBciently low to 

 permit of its shipment into the drought regions for winter feeding. 

 This fact with the localized rains that occurred over a large portion of 

 the region during the latter portion of the season will greatly reduce 

 the number of stock to l>e disposed of on account of lack of feed. The 

 conditions in eastern Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana have not greatly 

 improved, and it will be necessary for the stockmen in those States to 

 make heavy shipments. 



Live stock and wool prices fell off materially during the year. In 

 the fall of 1918 prices were unusually good. An unusually mild 

 winter, except in the Southwest, brought the stock through in excel- 

 lent condition, without the necessity of heavy expenditures for hay or 

 concentrated feed. The first evidence of declining prices was observed 

 in the wool sales last spring. In addition the stockmen had serious 

 difficulties in securing competent help. Old employees familiar with 

 range conditions and Forest regulations readily found more remuner- 

 ative and easier positions in other lines of work. 



The importance of the National Forest ranges to the stockmen was 

 strongly emphasized by the events of the year. Never before was 

 the demand for range on the Forests so great. This was particularly 

 true in the drought-stricken regions, where stockmen, using the unre- 

 served public domain or private pastures, eagerly sought Forest per- 

 mits in order to save their stock. The value of the system of range 

 regulation in use has been so thoroughly demonstrated that at the 

 public lands convention held in Salt Lake City on August 21 a 

 gathering of representative stockmen from all of the Western States 

 the convention went on record in favor of placing the remaining un- 

 reserved public lands under Federal control and having them managed 

 under a plan similar to that in effect on the National Forests, 



A plan for granting 5-year permits was put into effect on a largo 

 number of the Forests. It is too early to determine the results. 



Larkspur eradication upon the scale desired proved impossible, 

 partly for lack of men to supervise the work, partly because the 

 scarcity and high cost of labor prevented the stockmen from cooper- 

 ating extensively. However, larkspur was eradicated from 1,657 

 acres during the year, making a total of 3,580 acres grubbed since the 

 work began, at a cost of S5.50 per acre. The stockmen contributed 

 about one-half the expense. A resultant saving in cattle of $34,000 

 annually is estimated, on the basis of the average previous recent 

 death loss and a valuation of $50 per animal. 



It was planned to carry on the eradication work for the sciison of 

 1919 on all projects not completed, and to undertake grubbing on now 



