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Show sx-?3 aft caia?rx? svx&sr ?Atzr iasr" CATTl MA3D OY VAT StATOMU. VMTslT THE amount of stock which will be authorized to graze on tho nationul forests during tho season of 1910, determined by the secretary of agriculture, shows an Increase in tho total number which will bo allowed as compared with tho number last year, of approximately 200,000 cattlo and horses nnd 500,000 sheep and goats. Tho totnl nllowanco for tho coming grazing season ia 1.957,000 cattle and horses and 8,323,000 sheep an1 goats. Tho most Important increases nro In tho stntcs of Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Utah and Washington, nnd, except In Nevada, where over n million mil-lion ncros havo been added to tho national na-tional forest nrea of tho state, through tho creation of tho Nevada forest, are tho result of Improved rango conditions condi-tions duo to regulated grazing. In tho other states any locn! reductions which havo boon necessary to safeguard safe-guard tho forest rango havo been offset off-set by IncrenBcs on other portions of tho range, so that In no stnto has tho total number of stock to bo grazed be'en matorinlly reduced. It can bo stated that tho secretary of agriculture Is very solicitous to Becure tho fullest possiblo utilization of tho rnngo resources of the nntlonnl forests, In order that tho forests may contribute, just as far as Is consistent with proper protection of tho range Itself It-self and of tho forest growth, to tho market Bupply of beef and mutton. Range-fed stock contrlbuto very materially mate-rially to tho food supply of tho country, coun-try, and, under tho grazing methods which havo been brought about by the government control of tho forest range, n marked Improvement In tho weight and quality of tho stock produced pro-duced as well as an Incrcnse In tho number of head Is being brought about. Contrary to a widespread belief, be-lief, tho United States department of agriculture does not consldor tho burning burn-ing over of nntlonal forest lands as an effective menus' of denting with tho cattle tick and the drended fever which it spreads. This Is set forth by Secretary Wilson In the following pas-ages pas-ages of n rccont letter to Representative Representa-tive Floyd of tho Third Arkansas district; dis-trict; . "I have just received a communication communica-tion from Dr. Cooper Curtice, veteran-ary veteran-ary Inspector of tho bureau of animal ani-mal industry of this department, acting act-ing forth certain opinions respecting the burning of forests and ranges to destroy ticks which Infest cattle nnd transmit disease, in which the department depart-ment fully concurs. Doctor Curtice hns had many years' experience with the department, is one of the original orig-inal investigators of the fever tick, and has probably bad more exporlenco in this lino of work thnn any other scientist. He has recently made a tour through northern Arkansas and Investigated the conditions which exist ex-ist in that locality, and his observations observa-tions are therefore quite pertinent to the question of conflict In the policies of the bureau of animal industry and the for. st service. Th observations of Doctor Curtlco nro, In effect, as follows: "'It Is true thnt nt certain times of tho year burning tho grass on an Inclosed In-closed Hold may remove tho ticks wherever tho flro travels, but evon then many places remain unburned und tho owner depends on tho flro for eradication and consequently falls. At meetings of cnttlo men nnd others I havo been spenklng ngalnst tho practise prac-tise of burning over tho forest ground nnd hayo hold that no work would bo saved In tlio process of eradication because tho cattle should necessarily bo treated according to some one of tho methods specified in Fnrmors' Ilulletin No. 378 (Methods of Kxter-minntlng Kxter-minntlng tho Texas-Fever Tick), In order to sccuro perfect results. It is necessary to remembor in this connection connec-tion that there aro ninny unburned places, especially nround tho dwellings, dwell-ings, bnrns nnd other places whero cattle Ho. " 'Whenever the grass Is repeatedly burned, the roots becomo eventually destroyed, the sweeter grosses give way to tho more resistant and finally the latter porlsh. Not only docs flro destroy tho Scanty sod but In removing remov-ing tho leaves ns a protoctivo covering the hot sun of summer Is perm It ted to dry the soil to a crust and continues tho devastation. Tho best gniBB I saw was In n place whero tho young growth was at least three years old. In so far as tick eradication Ih concerned, con-cerned, It seems to mo an injustice that tho necessities of the work should bo quoted ns being opposed to tho nccdB of the forest service. Firing tho lenves has not eradicated ticks, although followed for yoara. Instend of being beneficial In the forest, for-est, It has killed out the grasses and even the now growth of trecB, which so often furnish In spring the only source of nourishment the buds upon which tho cnttlo may browse while the scanty herbnge grows. "I have steadily adlsod that pastures, pas-tures, meadows and growing crops be provided, upon which tho cattle conk bo held and fed the year around, and thus tho ueod for using the range bo obviated, and the farmer, farm-er, by securing control of the feeding feed-ing and breeding factors, be able to ralso better cattle for the markets. Under present conditions the mountain moun-tain farmers nro saving no manure, are making smnll crops, und are raising rais-ing a very poor quality of cattlo and hogs. Hy attending to better cultivation, cultiva-tion, diversified crops, and feeding stock on tho farm, nnd abandoning the prejudicial burning of tho woods and range, they can raise a very high quul-Ity quul-Ity of live stock and acquire a better money crop than thoy have heretofore hereto-fore held. " 'From my observation and conversations con-versations with tho fanners of tho Ozaik forest, on my recent trip, I am led to bellevo that they will tuke up tick eradication as soon as they can ralso tho necessary money. The legislature leg-islature meets in 1911 nnd they will then ask for a new five-cent district in addition to state funds.'" |