10 



House of Representatives. These bills are now before the committees 

 of the two branches of Congress, and without question will be given 

 very careful consideration. While this would not obligate the Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture to pay bounties, it would provide a means by which 

 he could do so if it was deemed advisable. It is a well-recognized 

 fact that many of the bounty laws have been unsatisfactory and in- 

 effective, and I think we all agree that an effort should be made to 

 bring about a better and more uniform system. Favorable action 

 upon this proposed law would enable the Secretary of Agriculture to 

 co-operate in working out the right kind of a plan and in putting it 

 into effect. 



Since taking charge of the national forests, the Forest Service has 

 been endeavoring to perfect methods of handling stock upon the range 

 / which, while protecting the forests from injury, will appeal to the 

 stockmen by their practicability. The essential requirements of an 

 ideal administration are that the various ranges shall be used by the 

 kinds of stock adapted to them, during the periods when the removal 

 of the forage crop will not lessen the productivity of the range; that 

 trailing, trampling, and the congregating of stock be minimized, and 

 that the stock be evenly distributed over the entire range; and that 

 the ranges be used in rotation, so that within every two or three 

 years each portion shall have opportunity to reseed itself. With 

 cattle and horses the problem has been largely one of permanent 

 improvements, supplemented by new methods of distributing salt; 

 with sheep it has necessitated the introduction of some innovations 

 in herding, bedding, and trailing. The changes in method have not 

 been arbitrarily imposed upon the stock-grower, but to a large extent 

 have been developed by him out of the fruits of his own experience. 

 In no instance has a change in method advocated by the Forest Service 

 failed to justify itself by increased returns to the stock-grower. The 

 drift fence, to hold cattle off the summer range in the spring and off 

 the winter range in the fall; the newly developed waterhole, elim- 

 inating the need for trailing several miles to water; the new salt 

 ground, away from water and compelling use of previously wasted 

 feed; the dividing fence between steers and stock cattle, all have 

 repaid the stockmen by producing better beef, at a lower cost. With 

 the sheepman the loose, open herding, without excessive use of dogs, 

 and the bedding of the sheep where night overtakes them, rather than 

 the return over barren trails to semi-permanent camps, have resulted 

 in better ranges, better sheep, and larger profits. 



