392 



ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The following is a report of permits issued, by grades, in 1911 and 

 1910: 



CATTLE AND HORSE PERMITS. 



SHEEP AND GOAT PERMITS. 



Grade 1—1 to 1,000 head 



Grade 2—1,001 to 2,500 head. 

 Grade 3—2,501 to 4,000 head. 

 Grade 4— Over 4,000 head. . . 



Total. 



2,521 



1,923 



367 



294 



49.38 



37.67 



7.19 



3.76 



100.00 



2,426 



1,8.37 



418 



314 



48.37 



36.77 



8.37 



6.29 



100.00 



These statistics, like those given above, show a steady decrease in 

 average holdings. This is partially the result of the recognition of 

 numerous new owners, settlers within and adjacent to the Forests, 

 effected by reductions made in the renewal of permits to purchasers 

 of permitted stock and in a few cases by sliding-scale reductions upon 

 all permits above certain limits; but to some extent voluntary reduc- 

 tions by permittees have swelled the lower and reduced the higher 

 grades. 



The percentage of approved applicants who failed to pay the graz- 

 ing fees and utihze the privileges allotted to them was 7.8 per cent, 

 exactly the same as during the preceding year. 



The percentage of reduction in grazing receipts largely exceeds that 

 in the number of stock grazed. This is undoubtedly attributable to 

 the fact that most of the lands eliminated were available for grazing 

 purposes during the major portion of the year, and consequently 

 produced more than the average revenue. In other cases the elimi- 

 nations divided individual ranges in such a way that the numbers of 

 stock grazed under permit were not materially lessened, but the 

 permits were issued for shorter periods, for which much lower charges 

 were made. The receipts for grazing privileges during the year are 

 stated on page 353. Tliey show a decrease of $51,419. 



The plan to allot grazing privileges for periods of five years was 

 effective upon 40 Forests at the close of the year, the S3^stem having 

 been inaugurated upon 5 additional Forests. Its success in accom- 

 phshing the purpose for which it was designed — to give stability and 

 permanency in the use of the range — has been complete, but the 

 plan has been losing in popularity among the stock growers. Grazing 

 conditions have become so well settled upon the large majority of the 

 Forests that term applications are not essential to certainty of tenure, 

 and the permittees realize this fact. As the term application pre- 

 scribes a minimum as well as a maximum use of the range by the 

 permittee, stock growere have in many instances considered it 

 advantageous to relinquish their term permits in favor of annual 



