The Sunday Oregonian., November 21, 1909, SECTION SIX, Page 2, Image 62

TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, NOVE3IBER 21, 1909.
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Governments successful exper
iments on THE WALLOWA FOREST
RESERVE IN OREGON
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WASHIXGtOX. Nov. 15. (Special
Correspondence of The Sunday
Oregonian.) The Department of
-Agriculture has recently issued a com
prehensive report, illustrated, on a coyote
proof pasture experiment at Billy Mea
dows, on the "Wallowa National Forest,
Oregon. It must be of very great Interest
to the sheepgrowlng interests of that
state. i
This report, which carries the experi
ments through discusses: the dur
ability of the co-ote-proof fence and the
cost of maintaining it: the attitude of
predatory animals toward the fence; the
actions of a band of jnerino ewes and
lambs when at liberty in the enclosure,
and the effects of such a grazing system
upon the slx'ep.
The experimental coyote-proof pasture
at Billy Meadows was constructed very
substantially by the Forest Services under
adverse circumstances. As a result, the
first cost was high and has caused sheep
men to comment upon the proposition as
impracticable, on account of the expen
diture, exceeding the advantages accru
ing from the pasturage system. It is
gratifyins, therefore, to be able at this
time to supplement the discussion already
given by a brief report on a pasture con-strticted-and
maintained on a paying basis
by a private individual.
Mr. J. VT. Kmnions. of Troy. Wallowa
County. Or., owns in the neighborhood of
?X acres of land, lyine on the breaks
of the Grand Ronde River. Perhaps 1000
acres of this area will yield readily to ag
ricultural cultivation. . whilo the remain
der is open yellow plno forest and break
ranee. Mr. Emmons conceived the idea
of handling 1M ewes and their increase
the year round by utilizing a small
amount of break ranee on the public do
main near by and feeding a short time in
Winter.
In the Spring of Wl lie constructed 1700
rods of fence, inclosing approximately
375 acres of open yellow pine forest and
break ranfre, and 2i5 acres of cultivated
wheat land. The total area had pre
viously been in four separate enclosures.
The division rail fences were left stand
ing In order to facilitate handlir and to
protect the grain crops.
The fence, designed to be coyote-proof,
whs as follows:
Posts from three to five inches square
and seven feet long, driven I feet into the
cround eight feet apart: about three
inches above the ground a common barbed
wire: three inches above this a 2S-lneh
woven wire, graduated from the bottom
up. the top mesh being an eight-Inch dia
mond: seven inches above the woven wire
a barbed- wire, 11 Inrhes higher another
bsrbed wire: total height 60 inches.
The construction of the fence was not
difficult. Thero were no large canyons
to cross: the entire fence line was easily
accessible; there was little or no clear
ing to.be done, and It was possible to
drive practically all of the posts. Never
theless the fence was not pt up In the
best of condition. Many wash holes were
fi!!d by throwing in a rotten log, which,
perhaps, would conform to the contour
of the hole and perhaps not. There are
many places, toou where the bottom wire
is six inches from the ground surface.
.t other points sheep have Jumped, into
the woven wire and have left holes ap
proximately ten Inches In diameter. And
there are places where the ground slopes
to the inside of the pasture at en angle
of approximately 10 flesrees. It Is evident
that in such instances a coyote Jumping
from a point seven feet outside the fence
would have to risn only 3i feet. These
fai-ts are iv-en. not for the purpose of
ndverse criticism, but in order that re
liable conclusions may be drawn as to
the possibility of fencing against coyotes.
The total cost of wire at Enterprise,
Or., then 46 miles from the nearest rail
road point, and 45 miles from the Em
mons ranch, was 55 cents a rod. The
transportation and distribution was done
by Mr. Emmons' own teams at odd times
during tlif Winter and early Spring. The
posts were split from timber obtained on
his own land near the fence line. Much
of the construction work was done by Mr.
Emmons himself. Under these condi
tions the cash outlay for the 1700 rods of
fence was H approximately l'X0, " or 71
cents a rod.
No record was kept of the number and
kind of animals that came to the fence.
Occasionally someone would ride the line
for the purpose of Inspection, but not
often. So far as known, coyotes were the
only rredatory animals. During the sea
son of 1907. June 1 to August 31, one
coyote was seen within the enclosure. In
May of 1Su8, coyotes entered on several
anA L-1 1 1 !() Inmhi duHnf the
nieht. After a few holes were repaired (
umjer rhm fence, however. th oo .
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more v trouble from coyotes during the
season. It was apparent that on eaoh oc
casion the animals passed to the inside
tli rough holes under the fence.
Up to this point the discussion has been
merely a presentation of facts, with lit
tle attempt at definite conclusions. "A
summary may now be made In the form
of conclusions arrived at by Mr. Emmons
after 10 years of 'experience with sheep
on the open range, followed by two sea- (
sons' experience under the pasturage sys
tem. Mr. Emmons' conclusions are as
follows:
. The Fence.
(a) The bottom barbed wire should be
on the surface of the ground or beneath
it everywhere.
(b) Greater care should be taken in
filling aJl holes beneath the fence.
(c) There should be three instead of
two barbed wires on top of the 3-Inch
woven wire. . '
The results already secured make It
possible to offer suggestions toward plac
ing the pasturage system on a practical
basis.
The chief drawback to the system at
the experimental pasture was the excess
ive cost of the fence. At the Emmons
pasture thle objection was dofie away
with, but the fence constructed was not
absolutely coyote-proof. To meet the ob
jection of a cost not warranted by the
Industry and at the same time give a
coyote-proof fence, the following speci
fications are offered:
Posts at intervals varying from S feet
to 30 feet: light stays used every 10 feet
where the poets are far apart.
On the surface of the ground a barbed
wire, preferably a four-point barb hog
wire; three Inches higher a 34-Inch M
wood lawn fence, tflth a four-inch trian
gular mesh: five Inches above the woven
wire a prain barbed wire: six Indies high
er a second barbed wire, and eight Inches
above this ak third barbed wire.
The size and number of posts, as well
as the depth they are placed in the
ground, may be governed by local condi
tions. Where ground la not rocky and
timber is comparatively handy, it is ad
visable to make posts fronv four to fit
inches In thickness,, and sharpen and
drive .them from two to two and a half
feet Into the ground. Where this method
Is applicable, they can' be placed' at short
Intervals with little expense.
Where timber Is scarce, larger posts
should be used at greater intervals, up
to 30 or perhaps 40 feet, and set at least
two and a half feet in the ground. In
such cases, stays made from "edgings"
or other cheap material should be used
at intervals of eight or 10 feet.
The final cost of this fence will, of
course. deDend uoon IocaJ conditions, but
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an approximate estimate may be given
that will serve as a working basis:
Elwood lawn fence. S4-lnch. with 4-
lnch triansular moli at fatlory.
per rod. about -s0
FrelKht to local railroad station not to
exceed, per rod .14
Four barbed wires, at 5c a rod. on local
market, per rod - -z0
Total cost for wire on local market,
per rod '
Total cost for wire per mile on local
market 24.00
Posts and stays, per rod ,0'i?,
Posts and stays, per mile ,15'
Cost of construction, per mile
Total cost per mile $400.00
For many .Jocalltiea tnis estimate wul
be higher than the actual cost, but if the
fence is to be substantially constructed
the cost on most grazing lands will ap
proach very closely $400 per mile.
Among the advantages of the pasturage
system that Justify this expenditure for
fence construction are:-
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First Increased carrying-capacity -of 50
per cent over the customary herding system.
Second Heavier slieep.
Third Decrease from 3 per cent to one
half of 1 per cent In the "loss.
Fourth Lss expense for hanrllinic.
Fifth .An increase in the lamb crop.
Sixth Heavier and cleaner wool.
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