GRAZING ADMINISTRATION OF THE NATIONAL 

 FORESTS IN ARIZONA.* 



R. R. Hill '06. 



The stock industry in Arizona ranks third among the 

 industries of the state with an annual output valued at $6.- 

 000,000. Undoubtedly its relative importance to the pros- 

 perity of the state will not diminish because of the ever in- 

 creasing demand for its products, and because a large part of 

 the range upon which the business is dependent is unsuitable 

 for agriculture. It is estimated that 50,000,000 acres, or 

 about 70 per cent of the entire area of the state will remain, 

 for many years to come, valuable chiefly for grazing. Of 

 this area which is unsuitable for agricultural purposes 14,898,- 

 000 acres, or 30 per cent of the total lies within the National 

 Forests. In 1912, according to the Crop Report, these range 

 lands supported approximately 104,000 head of horses, 774,- 

 000 head of cattle, and 1,565,000 head of sheep. Of this num- 

 ber 8,218, or 8 per cent of the horses, 214,334, or 32 per cent 

 of the cattle, and 415,074, or 26 per cent of the sheep were 

 grazed during at least a part of the year upon the National 

 Forests. The importance of the stock industry and its de- 

 pendence upon the National Forests make it worth while to 

 consider the grazing administration of the forests; the con- 

 ditions at the time the ranges were placed under control ; 

 the general policy adopted ; the bearing which the regulations 

 provided have upon the stock business and other interests; 

 the problems involved ; and the probable future of range 

 cotrol. 



The dependence of the stock industry upon the National 

 Forests is not due to arbitrary causes but is a result of nat- 

 ural conditions. The great range in altitude, from about 

 sea level in the extreme south-western part of the state to 



*Publishd by permission of the Secretary of Agriculture. 



