U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREBIOLOGICAL SURVEYbiological surveyWASHINGTON, D. c.c. HART MERRIAM, CHIEFT.S. PALMER, ASSISTANT CHIEFOctober 28, 1901.Dear Mr. Muir:The President wishes you would write him a brief letter calling his attention to the fact that sheep are still permitted to range in parts of some of the reservations, citing particularly the case where in September, 1900, we found some 6,000 sheep in Sonora Pass, in the Stanislaus forest reserve.The President is heartily with us in the matter of preserving the forests and keeping out the sheep.He wants to know the facts and is particularly anxious to learn them from men like yourself who are not connected with the Government service and at the same time are known and esteemed by the people.In the same connection it might be well for you to express a hope that the complete management and control of the forest reserves be vested in the Bureau of Forestry of this Department, instead of being divided, as at present, between two widely different Departments of the Government service.Very truly yours,Mr. John MuirMartinez, Calif.[02739
