120 



SURVEYS OF FOREST RESERVES. 



watching their movements, their choice of forage, and the methods of 

 handling them; observed the effects both of recent grazing and of the 

 grazing of former years; made observations upon the devastations 

 caused by fires, saw areas of the forest in every stage, from total 

 immunity from fires to total destruction by them; saw many fires 

 burning, and wherever possible ascertained the cause. 



I made four detours from the mountains down into the plains at their 

 eastern base to consult with sheep owners and other well-informed 

 citizens, the longest of these detours being a trip from Sisters to Prine- 

 ville and thence to Sherar Bridge, August 26 to 30, Mr. Applegate 

 meanwhile prosecuting the investigations in the mountains. 



THE SHEEP INDUSTRY OP OREGON. 



The first domesticated sheep brought into Oregon came from Cali- 

 fornia in 1843, but from that year until 1860 sheep raising was only a 

 small industry. At about the latter date, however, wool began to 

 assume considerable importance in the region as an agricultural product. 



The following table, extracted chiefly from the United States census 

 reports, gives some idea of the growth and importance of the slieep 

 industry in Oregon : 



a From tbe Oregon State Census Keport for 1895. 



The following table, compiled from the reports of the division of sta- 

 tistics, shows the amount of mouey invested in sheep in the State of 

 Oregon each year since 1870 : 



Year. 



1870 

 1871 

 1872 

 1873 

 1874 

 1876 

 1876 

 1887 

 1878 

 1879 

 1880 

 1881 

 1832 

 1883 

 1884 

 1885 

 1886 

 1887 

 1888 

 1839 

 1890 

 1891 

 1892 

 1893 

 1894 

 1895 

 1896 

 1897 



Number of I Value of 

 sheep. slieep. 



