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Show REMARKABLE PROGRESS MADE IN WORK OF GOVERNMENT FOREST FOR-EST RESERVE BUREAU. Rcseeding of Denuded Areas and Installation of Nurseries New Method of Handling Stock. The recent summing up of tho work accomplished by the U. S. Forest Ser-vice Ser-vice in tho various districts of the west, show a.tonlshing results, both in the amount of progress made along lines which were practically of an experimental ex-perimental character, as well as the great saving of property, both to the government and the people as well, in no department of the service has ror-csL ror-csL control proved of a more beneficial benefi-cial nntuie than lu the offlco of grazing, graz-ing, and notwithstanding the sundry statements of disgruntled individuals who have found their methods or trait drawn to a sudden close, tho fignies' presented speak for themselves. them-selves. ' It is very easy," f,aid Assistant District Forester F. W. Rood, today, "for even the layman to perceive tho benefits which have accrued through government control of forosta and to distinguish tho rapid Increase of benefits bene-fits from year to year as the proposition proposi-tion becomes more and more simplified. simpli-fied. Thesov betterments in the grazing graz-ing department include .1 variety of things. For instance, the reseedlng of denuded areas and the installation of nurseries for the growing of seedlings. seedl-ings. "New methods for handling stock pre constantly being tried; for example, ex-ample, take the experiments in fenced herding of sheep now being made In an Oregon forest. A tract of land has been fenced off from the range 1 in which a certain number of sheep will be grazed, and outside the fenced area a like number will bo herded in the customary way to decide whether the animals do better while feeding by themselves and allowed to scatter over more territory, than when herded together in droves' cm tho open range. In the latter method, ; the food is tramped down more, owing to the close packing of the sheep. "The eradication of poisonous plants such as lark spur and wild parsnip is another Important matter. Many sheep die each season from 'these and other plants and an effort Is now 1 being made to determine the poison-f poison-f 011s ones and provide means for their extermination One flock which came under my observation last summer lost a large number through eating wild cherry bush. These sheep had been herded on the desert for some time and were half famished. Upon reaching tho foot hills where tho wild cherry brush grew thickly, the animals ani-mals gorged themselves upon it and numbers of them died immediately. Tills plant lo not poisonous, of course, and would not have injured the sheep if nibbled In small quantities. "The leaves contain prusslc acid. "Tho development of water resources re-sources Is an item which Is attracting attract-ing much attention in some districts where good range can not be used on account of the scarcity of water. In the Targhee forest, especially, is a large tract which Is dry and investigations investi-gations are being made to provide a supply from underground sources. Small springs and seepages which are usually tramped into uselessness by the cattle arc being opened up end piped to reservoirs in numerous sections. "By working in conjunction with the quarantine inspectors of the Bureau Bu-reau of Animal Industry, a great deal of good has been done to prevent the spread of diseases, such as black leg, Fcabios, big head, foot rot and others. A vaccine is now in use for black leg and is distributed widely where the disease has commenced to appear. ap-pear. "No small item, too, is the exterminating extermi-nating of predatory. animals, such as bear, wolves, coyotes mountain lions and others which prey upon stock, causing a heavy loss each year. It is stated that tho killing of these, .animals .ani-mals last year by forest sen Ice employes em-ployes saved stock valued at an amount equallying the amount paid In grazing fees, or $960,000." |