54 BULLETIN ?90> IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



still others the forage remains green and tender throughout the sea- 

 son. Sheep, especially ewes and lambs, make mast rapid gains on 

 succulent tender forage. For this reason the weight of lambs at the 

 close of the grazing season may be varied at least 5 pounds by a 

 difference in the plan of grazing the range allotted to the band. The 

 endeavor should be to use the range so as to have green, tender feed 

 for the longest time possible. This will necessitate moving the herd- 

 er's supply camp, if one is used, oftener than is done ordinarily, but 

 the extra moving will be justified by the production of heavier sheep. 

 Eange with green feed and shade should be reserved for use during 

 the hot weather. 



The owner of the sheep, or some one employed by him, should see 

 to it that the herder is kept supplied with provisions and salt for the 

 sheep and that the herder's camp is moved as often as is necessary 

 to keep it near the sheep, provided the burro sy stem is not followed. 

 Lack of consideration for the herder in these matters usually results 

 in neglect of the sheep or injury to the range from driving the sheep 

 to the supply camp and holding them too long on near-by range. 

 The practice which allows the owner of the sheep or the camp mover 

 to visit the herder at intervals of two weeks or longer is out of date, 

 or should be, in all localities. "Whoever does this work might 

 profitably spend more time on the range helping to work out the 

 order of camps, seeing that a prompt search is made for lost sheep 

 and that due consideration is given to the needs of the herder, so that 

 he can devote his attention entirely to proper handling of the sheep. 



The method of handling- sheep here outlined is now followed, with 

 slight variation, in the management of perhaps 50 per cent of the 

 8,500,000 sheep grazed within the National Forests and should be 

 followed by the other 50 per cent. The manner in which the sheep 

 are handled is an important factor in deciding whether certain water- 

 sheds and forest areas may be used for sheep grazing without un- 

 warranted interference with watershed protection and forest protec- 

 tion, and is important in determining the grazing capacity of the 

 range as well as the gain in weight of the sheep. 



Additional references (arranged chronologically) . 



Coville, Frederick . Forest Growth and Sheep Grazing in the CVaseade Moun- 

 tains of Oregon. U. S. Division of Forestry, Bulletin 15, 189S. 



Kennedy, P. B. Summer Ranges of Eastern Nevada Sheep. Nevada Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station, Bulletin 55, 1903. 



Jardine, James T. The Pasturage System for Handling Range Sheep. U. S. 

 Forest Service, Circular 178, 1910. 



Jardine. James T. Coyote-proof Enclosures in Connection with Range Lambing 

 Grounds. U. S. Forest Service, Bulletin 97, 1911. 



Jardine, James T. Pastures and Sheds in Connection with Range Lambing 

 Grounds. National Wool Grower, vol. 5, No. 3. pp. 17-21, March, 1915. 1 



Jardine, James T. Possibility of Producing More and Better Sheep by Im- 

 provement in Methods of Handling on the Range. National Wool Grower, 

 vol. 5, : No. 4, pp. 15-18, April, 1915. 1 



1 A few reprints available in the Forest Service, Washington, D. C. 



