HOW THE FOREST SERVICE HAS HELPED THE STOCKMEN 



16: 



head of sheep and goats on 85,852,229 acres in 1905, 

 there has been an increase to 2,052,000 head of cattle and 

 horses and 7,636,000 head of sheep and goats on 155,- 

 166,619 acres in 1917, which, considering the area of 

 the Forests at each time, means that there has been a 

 proportionate increase of over 50 per cent in the number 

 of stock grazed. 



Perhaps next in importance to the output of beef and 

 mutton from these lands is the influence which the 

 National Forest ranges have upon the settlement of the 

 country and the welfare of the local communities within 

 and adjacent to them. In many localities distant from 

 transportation the utilization of farm products is largely 

 dependent upon stock feeding and in that way turning 



secure a permit, and has encouraged the small owners 

 through protective limits which guarantee the renewal 

 of their permits within a reasonable number without re- 

 duction. It has also taken care of new settlers and new 

 owners of small numbers of stock by reducing the per- 

 mits of the large owners to a reasonable extent and in 

 this way brought about a wider distribution of the graz- 

 ing privileges. The result is that during the past year 

 there were 31,136 permittees grazing cattle and horses 

 with an average permit of 66 head, and 5,502 permittees' 

 grazing sheep and goats with an average of 1,389 head. 

 There is a limit below which it is unprofitable to handle 

 livestock and this is kept in mind in reducing the per- 

 mits of the older users. Provision is made for renewal 



A CONFERENCE WITH THE COWMEN 



Full understanding of the objects and methods of the Forest Service in the establishment of the regulated range has resulted in the cordial co- 

 ot the stockmen, for it has eliminated waste and loss, increased production and otherwise given stability t< 



operation 



the output of the farm into beef or mutton which can be 

 "walked to market." The farmer must have outside pas- 

 ture for his stock during the period of crop production 

 and this is furnished by the National Forest ranges, 

 where he is secure against the encroachment of transient 

 herds, which is not the case on the outside unregulated 

 range. This has enabled the ranchman in many cases 

 to successfully establish his home upon the land where 

 otherwise he would have failed. It is why petition after 

 petition has been presented praying for the inclusion of 

 grazing lands within the National Forests and vigorous 

 protests have been made against the elimination of such 

 lands after the people had once enjoyed the use of a 

 protected range. 



The Forest Service system has guarded against mon- 

 opoly through the establishment of maximum limits 

 above which no person or corporation is allowed to 



to the industry. 



of permits to purchasers and the movement of stock to 

 and from market. 



Investigations of poisonous plants have been carried 

 on in co-operation with the Bureau of Plant Industry 

 with a view to the discovery of antidotes and remedies 

 for the poison and means of eradicating such plants 

 from the range. Work for the extermination of prairie 

 dogs and a vigorous campaign for the destruction of 

 predatory wild animals has been carried on in co-opera- 

 tion with the Biological Survey, and the control of con- 

 tagious disease among livestock and its elimination from 

 the National Forest ranges has been effectively accom- 

 plished by the Bureau of Animal Industry. 



Under all these provisions the National Forest rules 

 and regulations have given stability to the livestock in- 

 dustry and have aided the stockmen, while at the same 

 time they have protected the Forest and the other in- 



