516 AA'NUAI. nnPOHTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



knowlod<2;e of (lie kind of stock to which each range unit is best 

 adapted, the i)eriod during which it maj^ be used to the best advan- 

 tag(>, and (ho ninnber of s(ock it will support. Some grazing anthori- 

 za(ions were increased, o(hers reduced, but in most instances a reduc- 

 tion in the number of one kind of stock was accompanied by an 

 increase in (he number of another kind. The total grazing authori- 

 zations for 1912 were: Cattle and horses, 1,8G1,G78; swine, 57,815; 

 and sheep and goats, 8,502,810. These figures represent the estimated 

 normal grazing capacity of all of the national forests and exceed the 

 number for which permits were taken out. 



Upon eight forests reductions in the number of stock authorized 

 resulted in (he exclusion of stock that had previously occupied the 

 range. Eeductions of this character totaled 4,300 head of cattle 

 and horses and G4.000 head of sheep and goiUs. Upon one of these 

 forests, the jNIanti, the reduction of 2,000 catde and horses and 

 27,000 sheep was ordered in 1911, but was deferred until the season 

 of 1912 to afford the stock growers an opportunity to dispose of the 

 excess stock without loss. There are a few other forests where re- 

 ductions to stop damage appear to be necessary, but it has been 

 deemed best to defer these reductions until conditions become more 

 favorable for the disposal of the stock which will be excluded. Re- 

 ductions of this nature liave not been initiated by the Forest Service 

 alone, but almost always upon the request of the citizens who lived 

 ui^on or adjacent to the ranges and who believed the reductions were 

 necessary to protect either their domestic or their irrigating water 

 supply, or both. This was especially true in the Manti case. 



There is some fluctuation in the demand for range, which may cause 

 a temporary waste of forage resources within limited areas, bub, 

 generally speaking, the only national forests which are not stocked 

 to their safe grazing capacity are a few in northern California and 

 central Colorado and those in northeastern Washington, northern 

 Idaho, and northwestern Montana. In these forests there is con- 

 siderable summer range suited to sheep grazing which may be used 

 from three to five months each year. Most of it is difficult of access 

 and remote from spring, fall, and winter ranges, and generally can 

 only be reached by railroad shipments, so that despite the best efforts 

 of the district officers much of it remains unutilized. There has, 

 however^ been an encouraging increase in the number of sheep grazed 

 in the nortlnvestern forests, and the results have been decidedly ad- 

 vantageous bo(h to the Forest Service and to the sheepmen. As the 

 railroads have signified their intention to grant satisfactory feed-in- 

 transit rates the prospects are favorable for a full utilization of the 

 ranges. Summer feed for an additional 100.000 head of sheep may 

 readily be secured in the forests of northern Idaho and northwestern 

 Montana if these railroad rates are established. 



RANGE CONDITIONS. 



Throughout Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, northern Utah, 

 eastern Idaho, and southeastern Montana the fall of 1011 was marked 

 by a severe drought, and within this region the earlier ]:)romise of an 

 abundant season did not materialize. With a forage crop much below 

 normal the demand for range was augmented by the exceedingly 

 unfavorable conditions upon outside ranges. Some extra stock was 

 provided for, and except in a few isolated instances all stock under 

 permit was in good flesh when removed from the forest ranges. 



