OCR Text |
Show NATIONAL FORESTS. The advantages of forest reserves arc manifold, but they are usually supposed to be mainly on the side of the lumberman. With us, however, the stockgrower Is the first to praise the system. He realizes how much benefit he derives from a well-regulated range and contrasts past and present grazing conditions much Co the advantage of the latter. Formerly Former-ly the range was overcrowded, streams polluted and the feed got poorer each year. Now the underbrush grows so thick that there is abundant feed, the streams are clear, and tho system of giving grazing permits keeps the forest for-est from destruction. Where nine townships of tho Cache Nattdhal Forest For-est used to graze 150,000 sheep the same area now has but 35,000 or 30,000, and the results are evident. The prize Merino sheep of the world was raised last season on an Idaho National Nation-al Forest near St. Anthony. This would hardly have been possible under un-der the old condition of things and Is a remarkable example of how much we owe to our forestry system. Our last Issue stated thft the state would receive 25 per cent of the revenue coming from the national forests with-In with-In Its borders, the value of the lumber that Is protected is patent to all, and the grazing Improves each year; so hero arc three very vital and considerable consider-able benefits that come to our state through Its national forests. |