OCR Text |
Show Wind Pits Follow As Evils of Overgrazing Huge pits covering as much as 6 acres and reaching a depth of 15 feet in some places, supply vivid evidence of the disastrous effects of wind erosion on grazing lands of the west. In one demonstration area of the soil conservation service, ser-vice, in north central Utah, the wind has dug several of these yawning land eaters. Before the demonstration was started, none of the land in the Utah project had been fenced or plowed and there had been little or no control over grazing. As a result, re-sult, overgrazing practically killed out the native grasses and browse plants which formerly grew in this section and held the soil in place. Wind erosion may occur any place where overgrazing, overcut-ting overcut-ting of timber, or some other form of land abuse has left the soil unprotected un-protected from the ripping action of the wind. Already dust "bliz zards" have done great damage in the southwest and in the Dakotas. In combating wind erosion in the Utah demonstration area, in Salt Lake and Tooele counties, grazing (las been restricted and a good start has been made toward starting start-ing new plant growth on the land. The soil conservation service is introducing in-troducing several varieties oi grass, including crested wheal grass, in an attempt to keep th soil out of the air and make the country suitable once again foi grazing and agriculture. |