. American forestry. Forests and forestry. 112 AMERICAN FORESTRY. Moving a Camp of Grazing Examiners in Rough Country. necessary to protect the public interests. Where it was clear that the ranges were being overgrazed and the surplus stock could not be taken care of by removal to other ranges, the necessary reductions were made gradually and so far as possible unnecessary loss and hardship were avoided. RANGES GRAZED AT WRONG SEASONS It was found that under the former system, or rather lack of system, many of the ranges had been used at un- seasonable times and that this had re- sulted in the
. American forestry. Forests and forestry. 112 AMERICAN FORESTRY. Moving a Camp of Grazing Examiners in Rough Country. necessary to protect the public interests. Where it was clear that the ranges were being overgrazed and the surplus stock could not be taken care of by removal to other ranges, the necessary reductions were made gradually and so far as possible unnecessary loss and hardship were avoided. RANGES GRAZED AT WRONG SEASONS It was found that under the former system, or rather lack of system, many of the ranges had been used at un- seasonable times and that this had re- sulted in the loss of much forage. An economical use of the forage plants and grasses can be secured only by a con- sideration of their natural habits, and it is just as disastrous to place stock upon a range before the forage crop has reached a sufficiently mature stage of development to be ready for grazing as it is to cut a field of hay or grain before the proper time. Accordingly grazing periods were established to fit the different districts and so far as possible to meet the needs of the stockmen, due consideration being given to the neces- sity for early grazing on lambing grounds and other special conditions. On many of the ranges the destruction of forage by trampling in driving the stock about in search of feed and by placing stock upon the range too early in the season while the feed was immature, amounted to fully 30 per cent of the crop. Under a systematic use of the ranges this loss was stopped and the formerly wasted feed utilized for the grazing of additional stock or for putting the stock in better condition of flesh. The result has been that in many cases the stockmen have been able to sell beef and mutton from ranges which before were only pro- ducing feeders and often poor ones at that. FENCES RECOGNIZED AS NECESSARY One of the greatest handicaps of the stockmen using the open public range for raising cattle and horses had been the prohibition of fencing, and efforts to
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