Show bureau of land management begins battle the first major offensive in the battle of the bureau of land management lana gement was launched this week with the sign ing into law of a two million dol lar appropriation for control of the poisonous weed that is caus ing severe livestock losses to act many western ranchers secre tary of the interior ocsar chapman announced today strategic areas albeas will be reseed ed to prevent further spread of the weed an at the same time to furnish valuable forage for livestock moved from badly infested areas director of bureau of the land management office of fice said director clawson pointed out that although it is too late in the fall for a full scale program there is still time to complete some of the more sit strategically located re invitations to bid have been issued by the bur eau af land management Manag ament to con tractors and approximately acres with the total of acres scheduled for re seeding in the fiscal year 1952 plans are already largely developed for an intensive program next spring or summer Sti nuner he said a large number of the control have been located around the ter of the main infestation in nev idaho an dUtah in much the same man ner as a line of defense is established on a battlefield utah considerable progress can be expected in utah this fall fail due to the favorable location of some of the re seeding are areas in the hamblin and tintic gintic valleys of the western desert area of the state acres are planned for completion farther north in boxelder Box Elder county 2000 acres are planned in the muddy creek ar ea can be completed but weather conditions may forestall work on acres in the grouse creek area estimates based on preliminary surveys made earlier this year placed the total area of bur eau lands infested in all of the states at about acres with possibly an additional acres of infested land in oth er ownership recent observations indicate that a much greater area is involved as new infestations are discovered control plans for the bureau lands as outlined by director clawson will be coordinated by other agencies through state and county weed control committees now active in most of the affected states control measures are already started by several of the ahe states and counties and by railroads and individual stockmen stoc kmen ranchers using bureau lands are vitally concerned with the problem and have indicated a willing ness to assist in the control program the most practical method of control in the re seeding of infested and threatened areas with hardy adaptable range grasses principally crested wheatgrass wheat grass Sher chemical sprays will be used principally along roads and trail to halt the spread of haIo geton from centers of infestation |