Show I REPORT GIVEN ON ELK MT GRASS SEEDING PROGRAM I Ranger Julian JuHan T. T Thomas I ranger tanger of the south division of f r the La Sal national forest t. reports re- re ports orts that hat the range rass grass re- re seeding pro program ram on the Elk Eik I Ridge area Wa was closed clod down when the late snows shOws and hen heavy frosts of November made it im tin- practical to operate longer Ap proximately 1000 acres were plowed and planted to a mixture mixture mix mix- ture of smooth brome crested wheat slender wheat western wheat and orchard grasses The area planted was In Stevens and Mormon Pasture canyons ion on north Elk Ridge I The area planted consisted of openings and flats Hats of the canyon can cam yon bottoms which once supported sup ported heavy stands of grass but due to past grazing use the grasses grasses were killed out and sagebrush invaded and took lover over the land The soils solis being deep and fertile In most places I have been badly damaged and cut up by erosion The reseed ing of grasses to these areas Itis itis it itis is hoped will stabilize the soils solis check the excessive erosion erosion ero ero- sion slon and result In an increased forage production of 10 to 20 times Us Its present Several thousand acres have been on national forest forest for for- est lands of ot this area with very results n Ranger Hancer U H Thomas n U H r reports P The plowing was done by a type of Implement developed by the forest service from an Australian design known as Is Ismore Ismore ismore the stump jump plow H Jt more adaptable to rough brush country than the conventional wheatland disc plow usually used in Overall costs of the averaged about 8 per acre the ranger reports I |