Show fIG EIGHT T YEARS Of GAO BAD D Disastrous Result of Lack of Pre Pro Precipitation Precipitation In iii Arizona Forest Reserve Icse nc EVEN HARDY TREES PERISH Ten Years carR Ago no the lie Section Was Well We eI II I Watered and Lands Were Successfully Farmed The disastrous result of ot eight years of drouth In a n region that has only n II I limIted d water supply Is the mo t Impressive lesson lesion contained In professional paper No 23 recently published by b tho the United States geological survey Forest Conditions In tn the Black Mesa Forest Arizona U is tho the title of tho paper which was Willi prepared by b I Mr Mi F a n 3 from notes note fur tur furnished furnished by Theodore F 1 and Arthur Dodwell The reserve comprises nn In area of 2786 square mile miles and amid Includes parts of ot Coconino Olla lla Navajo jo Apache and Graham counties Arizona It In Is l an Irregular strip of ot land running from central Arizona tn to n a 1 general ral southeasterly direction to the New Mex lex too leo boundary It Jl follows and lies lie prin principally on the north slope of the Cola Cob Colorado rado Qua divide The character of oC this divide known ns liS a Black Mesa Is thit of ot a southward facing escarpment if IC i nearly perpendicular rock 1600 1500 to 2 JO feet teet high which Is la Inaccessible it itIn itin In a II few places paces to the most mot darlig climber It Is l I th south Routh edge ot of io e great Colorado plateau The of tho the reserve le erve Is In general rough anal broken though the southeastern por par portion tion Is imi more rolling roiling with several high I plateaus Ida tenus Water Is very scarce Eight years I rage ngo the tho reserve was wag comparatively well veil watered but tacIt seasons exceed exceedingly exceedInglY exceedingly of or have rendered It dry dr and anal unless a n chango change for tIle the bettor better occurs cattlemen c and anal sheep men will wll desert lIe crt the country Number ucla oUS small areas areM were vero once profitably farmed but In recent years the tho lack hick of at f rainfall has hM caused a n marked 1 decline In Agriculture Grazing tho the main Industry of this and adjacent regions has also suffered greatly from continued Mouthe Tho The only re to remaining areas which are used solely for cattle ranges aro urn on Blue muo and anal Salt Snit rivers river anal Eagle Ragle creek creCk The Tho best growths of will wild forage grasses grassed are ure nearly always found nt at some come not lIot from water and are consequently available for stock which lire are unable to tt make mako the trip from water to pasture The Verde Iterate slope In the tM he Heaver creek watershed Is nn an example of repented overstocking over This district was wn former formerly ly Iy n a source of ot great grent wealth to H In that vicinity but the excessive num number number ber her of or cattle and horses grAzed grated In It hns has finally resulted In ira the complete an nn annihilation of the pasture Unless stringent rules ruleR me niP adopted to regulate the tM number of stock atoe and the on which they shall bo he grazed on each per permit permit mit this condition will wilt sooner or later laler prevail throughout tho the reserve Yellow pine In is l tho the principal timber tree of ot the tho reserve t and ami the lie only Oila lum lurn lumber ber her at lit pres nt uld for manufacturing The Tue douth of ot the last eight years has baa affected even ven trees like the time yellow Illow pine alligator Juniper anal Arizona cypress which ns nM a n rule rUI stand dry airy weather very vory ery well Hun lEan Hundreds of thousands thoU of or feet of timber will be bo lost unless Immediately logged |