REGULATION OF GRAZING 381 



tion specific data are lacking relative to location and extent of areas 

 not reproducing satisfactorily. In practically all cases there are ad- 

 ministrative difficulties in making changes in class or numbers of stock 

 and in all cases there is difficulty of controlling the stock to put re- 

 strictions or changes into effect. 



To put into application, then, the comparatively broad principles 

 outlined and to overcome the difficulties is a pretty big load for local 

 forest officers, along with a multitude of other duties, and it is the 

 local officers who finally must do it, unless there is a change. 



Taking the situation as a whole I am not surprised that in their 

 annual reports for 1917, 60 per cent of the supervisors reported no 

 injury to forest reproduction; 34 per cent reported slight injury or 

 injury not serious; 2 per cent, injury more than offset by reduction in 

 fire damage; 2 per cent, excessive injury on driveways only; and 

 2 per cent, injury to aspen sprouts only. On the other hand, I am 

 not surprised that inspectors visiting the Forests should report ex- 

 cessive local injury or that they should report satisfactory reproduction 

 in spite of injury from sheep grazing over a period of years. 



THE Future 



The main reason for my consenting to discuss this subject and for 

 taking so much time in doing so, is my feeling that the whole ques- 

 tion should be given thorough general consideration with a view to 

 deciding what probable difficulties will come in the future and how 

 they are going to be met. 



In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1919, a total of 2,228,778 head of 

 cattle and horses and 7,995,963 sheep and goats were grazed under 

 permit on the National Forests. This was an increase of 85.7 per cent 

 in cattle and horses and 20.1 per cent in sheep and goats over the 

 number grazed in 1907, while the increase in acreage was about 5 

 per cent. The National Forest ranges are approaching a fully stocked 

 condition, some of them are overstocked; the demand for rapge is 

 still far in excess of the supply ; the number of permittees increased 

 from 21,788 in 1907 to 39,152 in 1919 ; the average number of cattle 

 and horses per permit in 1919 was 68 head, and for sheep and goats 

 1,207 head, showing that the average use is about on a ''living basis," 

 rather than greatly commercialized. 



To me these figures, representing briefly the grazing situation, in- 

 dicate a necessity for doing all that can be done to harmonize grazing 



