inj Administration of the Xational Forests 13 



vice has, in the main, justified its establishment. Stockmen 

 are now as anxious to secure Forest Service protection as 

 they formerly were to avoid coming within its jurisdiction. 

 Although they may perceive imperfections in the Service, 

 they believe that conditions have improved under govern- 

 ment control and they now protest against excluding their 

 range from the forest, preferring regulated grazing to the 

 lack of control. Undoubtedly the gradual crystallizing of 

 opinion among stockmen in favor of leasing all of the un- 

 appropriated public domain is, in a measure, due to the 

 satisfactory results obtained under Federal regulation of 

 the grazing resources of the National Forests. 



The Forest Service has been so occupied with matters 

 of organization and administration that until recently little 

 attention has been given to problems of constructive improve- 

 ment. In order to handle such problems it has long been felt 

 that detailed information regarding grazing resources and 

 conditions was necessary. This information is now being 

 collected by grazing reconnaissance parties on two of the 

 Xational Forests in Arizona; it is planned to extend the 

 work to include all of the forests. The data collected in- 

 clude a map of each section showing timber and forage types, 

 topography, and a detailed description of soil, forage species, 

 distribution and abundance of poisonous and worthless 

 plants, range destroying animals, utilization of forage, water 

 facilities, and suggested improvements. With this detailed 

 information to supplement the more general and practical 

 information of the administrative officers, it is believed 

 that most of the important range problems may be success- 

 fully handled. 



Among these problems should be mentioned : 



(1) How to secure the best utilization of the range. 

 With detailed information of forage types, including dis- 

 tribution, abundance, and forage value of species and with 

 accurate knowledge of water development, and seasons for 

 which the types are best adapted, the proper distribution of 

 stock becomes largely an administrative problem. Sheep 

 movements can be readily controlled by confining them to 

 certain prescribed allotments. Cattle w'ill have to be con- 

 trolled by drift fences, natural range boundaries, develop- 

 ment of water, salting grounds, and by driving them onto 

 their proper allotments. 



(2) How to improve depleted ranges . With these areas 



