240 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



kept in force for the control of the reserves. It is, 

 therefore, a necessity that good judgment be exercised 

 in granting grazing privileges so that the fullest 

 measure of capacity of the reserves may be accorded 

 the live stock interests, at the same time guarding 

 against forest injury. In my opinion the reserves of 

 Wyoming, the forests of which are all of coniferous 

 growth, would bear without injury a decided increase 

 of live stock during the grazing season. 



Complaints have been made justly from time to 

 time of the refusal to allow stock to be trailed across 

 the reserves for shipment or to reach grazing grounds 

 on the public domain. These complaints have, in a 

 large measure, been remedied, but there is still room 

 for improvement. 



The conditions in Wyoming apply generally to the 

 entire Western country, and the needs of the sheepmen 

 and other live stock owners in relation to the forest 

 reserves are general and may be summarized as fol- 

 lows: 



First: Thorough and complete topographic exami- 

 nations should be made of all forest reserves with a 

 view to restoring to the public domain all grazing and 

 agricultural lands, and all lands covered with timber 

 of non-commercial value and valueless as a protection 

 to watersheds or the headwaters of streams, or for the 

 protection of water supplies for cities and towns. 



Second : Adequate public trails should be established 

 across forest reserves so that sheep and other live 

 stock might be moved across the reserves to reach graz- 

 ing grounds, markets or shipping points, with the least 

 possible inconvenience to owners. 



Third : The grazing capacity of each reserve should 

 be estimated by local officials, who should take into 

 consideration the actual conditions of grass growth 



