32 MISC. PUBLICATION 290, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



(3) Artificial-reseeding investigations, which aim to determine what 

 native species justify selection for improvement, the possibilities for 

 the adaptation of native and introduced species to seeding or trans- 

 planting, and to determine how these plants can be most economically 

 reproduced and established on range lands under the varying condi- 

 tions of climate, soil, and range-forage depletion. 



EXPERIMENTAL AREAS 



Certain areas, most of which are within the national forests, have 

 been designated as experimental forests. Other areas containing range 

 types have been similarly designated as experimental ranges. These 



Figure 24. — These sheep are grazing quietly and well distributed with ample forage, 

 illustrating good range management. Improved methods of range management are 

 developed by research. 



areas have been set aside as outdoor laboratories on which much of the 

 research in forest and range management and in watershed protection 

 is carried out. These experimental areas, of which there are several in 

 each region, are under the general supervision of the forest experiment 

 stations. 



The Forest Service has also set aside a series of areas which have 

 been designated as natural areas. The purpose of these is to illus- 

 trate or typify virgin conditions of forest or range cover. They 

 are to be maintained in an unmodified condition for research, his- 

 torical interest, and education. Within the natural areas and also in 

 the experimental forests and ranges, public use is carefully regulated, 

 being limited to educational institutions for research or educational 

 purposes. On the experimental forests and ranges the cutting of 

 timber, the grazing of cattle, and other forms of use are permitted 

 only to the extent that they are part of the research plans for the 

 areas. 



