158 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the National Forest ranges are paying much less than the prevailing 

 local rates on private, State, and Indian lands. This may be illus- 

 trated by some typical examples. In Montana lands of the Northern 

 Pacific Railroad leased for sheep grazing bring the equivalent of 25 

 cents per head, as against a charge of 5 cents on adjoining National 

 Forest lands. On the Crow Indian Reservation, in the same State, 

 competitive bids realized 81 cents for sheep, while cattle grazers bid 

 S3; on adjoining National Forests the sheep rate is 13J cents and 

 the cattle rate 54 cents. On the White Mountain and San Carlos 

 Indian Reservations, in Arizona, cattle pay $2.-10, horses $3, and 

 sheep 50 cents; on adjoining National Forest lands quite as good, 

 cattle pay 48 cents, horses 60 cents, and sheep 12 cents. In Cali- 

 fornia the Southern Pacific Railroad Co. obtains 5 cents per acre for 

 land leased for sheep grazing, while similar and adjoining National 

 Forest lands yield 1-f cents per acre. 



The present demand for grazing privileges on a majority of the 

 Forests far exceeds the carrying capacity, and the demand is on the 

 increase. Under these conditions the stockmen using the National 

 Forest ranges are enjoying special advantages over those who must 

 pay for range on a competitive basis or do without. The value of 

 ranches and stock is markedly increased, as is well recognized in 

 current commercial transactions, by virtue of preference privileges to 

 use of the Forest ranges. It is an established principle of National 

 Forest administration that the man who is accorded a privilege of 

 exclusive use of land or material for commercial profit shall pay the 

 public in proportion to the value of what he receives. This is just, 

 both from the standpoint of the public as owners of the Forests and 

 from the standpoint of other individuals over whom otherwise the 

 holder of the privilege would be unduly favored. It has become 

 plain that increase of the benefits derived by stockmen from National 

 Forest administration without a commensurate increase in the charge 

 for the grazing privilege has created a situation which calls for read- 

 justment. The proposal under consideration involves a moderate 

 annual .advance for three years. Before final action is taken an 

 opportunity will be given for all parties interested to be heard. If 

 the plan is made effective it will be put in operation on March 1, 

 1917, and should eventually bring the grazing receipts to more than 

 $2,000,000 a year. 



THE STABILITY OF THE FORESTS. 



The National Forests are gaining in stability through the land 

 classification work. This means not only the fixing of the external 

 boundaries, but also the classification and segregation of those lands 

 which are to be opened to entry under the Forest homestead act. It 

 is important for the general public to know what lands are to be re- 

 tained permanently by the Government, and what lands will be avail- 

 able for agricultural settlement. It is no less important from the 

 standpoint of administration. The whole public Forest enterprise is 

 based on the assumption of permanence. The application of the 

 principles of forestry necessitates a long look ahead. All the work is 

 conducted with a view to constructive development of the property 

 and its constantly increasing usefulness. Every timber sale is made 



