STOCK ON RANGES IN NATIONAL FORESTS 217 



of the range, protective and maximum limits are estab- 

 lished. The protective limit is the number of stock 

 which small owners will be allowed to graze without 

 reductions, excepting for certain specific reasons; while 

 the maximum limit is the greatest number which any 

 person or corporation will be allowed to graze. The 

 protective limit is generally based on the number of 

 stock which the average settler can care for in connec- 

 tion with his homestead and support himself and family 

 in a modest way. 



New Settlers. In order to allow the use of a portion 

 of the range on fully stocked forests by new settlers 

 all permits above the protective limit are scaled down 

 each year on a certain well-defined percentage, which 

 must be no greater than will result in a total reduction, 

 equaling 3 per cent of all the stock allowed to graze 

 upon that particular forest during the year. Thus if the 

 forest is carrying 100,000 sheep the gross reduction from 

 the larger permittees will accumulate surplus range 

 for 3,000 sheep to be taken up by new applicants. This 

 makes the change come more gradually and allows time 

 for the larger owners to regulate business. 



The number of stock thus gained is given to the new 

 men, who must in every case be bona fide settlers and 

 home-builders, depending on their lands for their living. 

 In many instances the number of new applicants is far 

 in excess of the capacity of the range to care for them, 

 and in such event the needs of each individual applicant 

 are considered and those who in the judgment of the 

 Forest officers are most dependent on the range are 

 granted the permits. Of course where the range is not 

 fully stocked these protective and maximum limits arc 

 not always strictly enforced. 



