Show Lack of snow is becoming crucial problem Ravaged by floods in the spring and parched by drouth in the fall is the brief story of eastern Utah's National Land Reserve This synopsis characterized the monthly range report given this week by A. District Manager of the Vernal With most of the livestock new on the winter range the presence of or rather the lack of is becoming Forage for the animals is still in fair condition in most but watering facilities such as ponds and streams have become a Unlike cattle and sheep can eat snow in the winter to meet their need for water By this time of the year Old Man Winter has usually announced his coming with a calling card fashioned with a generous blanket of but the only feature distinguishing this December from last July is a slightly lower In many areas of the Mountains the ground is still free from frost Late snows have far-reaching effects on range and more than just the present state of livestock is involved In order for forage plants to make vigorous growth in the spring and early they must draw on a reservoir of moisture in the The moisture comes not only from spring rains but also from rains and snow which infiltrates into the soil in the fall When snow docs not until the ground is usually frozen so hard that no moisture can enter Bv spring most of this valuable ingredient for growth has evaporated back into the atmosphere and has been lost to the The district forester took advantage of the bare and planted a few acres of Christmas trees just before Range rehabilitation projects are also still in according to Frandsen |