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ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Table 9. — Grazing permits issued and number of stock grazed under permit, fiscal year 



1916. 



This was an increase of 133,442 cattle and horses and 605,338 

 sheep and goats over the previous year, while 2,400 new permittees 

 for cattle and horses and 292 for sheep and goats were taken care of. 

 This increase of over 8 per cent for both classes of stock and nearly 9 

 per cent in the number of permittees was despite the fact that a 

 major portion of the eliminations from the several Forests during the 

 previous year consisted of lands which primarily were grazing areas. 

 It is accounted for, first, by improved methods of handling the stock, 

 especially the sheep; and secondly, by a more intimate knowledge 

 of the forage on the ranges and their carrying capacity, due to the 

 extension of the range reconnaissance work. The excellent results 

 already brought about through these two activities warrant the 

 further extension of the work by larger allotments for that purpose. 

 The stockmen are anxious to apply the information available and 

 there is urgent need of Forest officers to advise the stockmen and 

 their herders as to the proper methods of handling their animals, as 

 well as to extend the reconnaissance work over every grazing Forest. 



There were issued 1,705 free grazing permits, allowing the grazing 

 of 72,967 cattle, 2,048 horses, 549 hogs, 429,163 sheep, and 1,270 

 goats in exchange for the use by National Forest permittees of 

 2,957,142 acres of unfenced private lands within the Forests. This 

 was a slight increase over the previous year in number of permits, 

 amount of stock, and acreage. Of crossing permits there were issued 

 2,098, for 68,571 cattle, 598 horses, 260 hogs, 3,491,562 sheep, and 

 1,100 goats driven across the Forests and feeding in transit. 



