NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL GRAZING. 61 



Transfer to Another Forest. 



A grazing preference can be transferred from one Forest to another 

 only when the first Forest is overstocked and the second Forest is 

 understocked and the transfer will be generally beneficial. In this 

 event a transfer may be allowed if both supervisors approve. 



PROTECTIVE AND MAXIMUM LIMITS. (Reg. G-16.) 



Protective Limits, General Purpose. 



Protective limits are established to protect permittees from reduc- 

 tions in the number of stock which they are allowed to graze under 

 permit to a point where it is too small to be handled at a profit or to 

 contribute its proper share toward the maintenance of a home. The 

 average number of stock which a settler must graze in order to utilize 

 the products of his farm or derive a reasonable profit will be deter- 

 mined upon each Forest or, if necessary, upon each grazing district 

 thereof, and will serve as the basis for the protective limit. 

 How to Determine Proper Protective Limit Number. 



In arriving at this average number the dependence of settlers upon 

 National Forest ranges will be considered. Where stock growing is 

 the only pursuit in a region, the number of stock guaranteed a settler 

 must be sufficient to support his family. In an agricultural region 

 where the product of the farms is fed to stock, the number should be 

 sufficient to consume the forage produced by the average farm. 

 However, in determining the proper protective limit number the con- 

 ditions actually existing in the locality will be given consideration in 

 preference to theoretical computations of operating expenses, invest- 

 ments, and profits. In a locality where the permittees maintain their 

 homes in normal circumstances with an average holding of 60 cattle, 

 it is unreasonable to state that 200 cattle is the least number that can 

 be handled at a profit. A protective limit materially in excess of the 

 average number per permit means that the primary purposes of the 

 limit must be disregarded if the Forest is not to fie overstocked or 

 many ol the permittees excluded. 

 Variation in Protective Limits. 



Protective limits have been established for various Forests running 

 from 25 to 300 head for cattle and horses, and from 500 to 2,000 head 

 for sheep and goats. The limit on sheep is proportionately higher 

 than on cattle, because as a general rule the cost of handling is in- 

 creased bv requiring a man to run less than one full band. With 

 cattle or torses, which can be turned loose upon the range, a pro- 

 portionately smaller number of animals can be run with profit. 

 Under ordinary conditions the average number of stock per permit 

 may be the basis for the protective limit of the Forest. 

 Establishment of Protective Limits. 



When in the judgment of the district forester it becomes necessary 

 for the protection of class A owners, he will establish protective limits 

 for each kind of stock, and renewals of all permits within such limits 

 will be made without reduction. It will be within the discretion of 

 the district forester to establish limits uniformly applicable to the 

 entire Forest or special limits for each grazing district of the Forest. 

 A holder of a permit for one class of stock may secure a permit for 

 another class, providing the number holds the inverse ratio to the pro- 

 tective limit. For example: A holder of a cattle permit for 75 head 



