520 



ANNUM. REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Compared with 1911, there were increases in stock ^azed under 

 permit of 51,103 cattle, 3,827 horses, 9(),143 sheep, and G,181 goats. 

 The total not increase was 1.7G per cent. This taken in connection 

 with the reduction in area already noted (p. 515) sliows how regu- 

 lated use and protection is augmenting the forage supply. The num- 

 ber of cattle and horse permits issued increased 3.37 per cent and 

 sheep and goat permits over 4 per cent. 



The average number of cattle and horses per permit was 70.7 head 

 as against 70.6 head in 1911, and of sheep and goats 1,421 head as 

 against 1.459 in 1911. These figures show that more users as well as 

 more use are provided for. 



The number of permits issued, by grades, in 1912 and 1911 are 

 shown below: 



CATTLE AND HORSE PERMITS. 



SHEEP AND GOATS. 



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- 



2,640 



1,990 



393 



290 



5,313 



49.09 



37.46 



7.39 



5.46 



100.00 



2,521 



1,923 



367 



294 



49.38 



37.67 



7.19 



5.76 



5,105 



100.00 



Range stock holdings of less than 200 head of cattle and horses or 

 2,500 head of sheep or goats are counted small outfits. Over 92 per 

 cent of the permits issued were for less than these numbers. The 

 percentage of small permits was slightly greater than in 1911. 



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

 ing fees and utilize the privileges allotted to them was 8.3 per cent, 

 an increase of 0.5 per cent over the previous year. This was due in 

 part to the fact that many approved applicants were prevented by 

 high prices from securing the stock which they had intended to graze 

 under permit, and in part to the fact that many payments of grazing 

 fees were deferred because of the late spring and the impossibility of 

 utilizing the range until after the end of the fiscal year. 



The approval of applications for the grazing privilege for five- 

 year periods, authorized upon 54 forests, has been discontinued upon 

 7 because of a lack of demand for applications of such character. 

 Upon the remaining 47 forests only an insignificant proportion of the 

 permits are based upon term applications. There is no general 

 tendency to enter into agreements covering periods of more than one 

 year, because stock growers feel assured of adequate range, certainty 

 of tenure, and freedom from excessive reductions. Many holders of 

 term permits are voluntarily relinquishing them, preferring the 

 greater freedom of operation obtainable under annual applications. 



