of stock, or the adoption of special rules to meet local conditions. 

 Under this regulation, eighty-four advisory boards, representing the 

 stockmen using the national forests, have been recognized, and are 

 now co-operating with the Forest Service in an effort to bring about 

 better conditions in the live-stock industry and the best possible use 

 of the range. 



At this time it might be well to call attention to the extent of the 

 forage resources in the national forests, in order that the importance 

 of their use may be realized. Approximately 75 per cent of the 

 national-forest land, or about 110,000,000 acres, is, or may be, used 

 for the pasturage of live stock. The lands covered by the more open 

 stands of timber, the exposed slopes of otherwise timbered hills or 

 mountains, the narrow valleys along the streams, the areas above 

 timber-line, and the cut-over or burned-over areas, all produce crops 

 of forage, and are particularly desirable grazing grounds for cattle, 

 horses, swine, sheep, and goats, during the seasons of the year when 

 the various areas may safely be used. 



The money value of this forage crop is enormous. Each year the 

 treasury of the United States is enriched to the extent of almost one 

 million dollars, which is paid by stock-growers for the privilege of 

 grazing their stock upon the national-forest lands. Each year the 

 stock grazed under permit produces beef, mutton, wool, hides, and 

 pelts to the value of more than thirty millions of dollars. Throughout 

 the western states there are innumerable communities whose welfare 

 and general prosperity are vitally dependent upon the systematic 

 utilization of the forage products of the forest lands. The favorable 

 effect which these low-priced and permanently productive ranges 

 have upon the general question of meat supply and cost to the con- 

 sumer is too pronounced to be doubted, and is of first importance to 

 every consumer of meat products. 



During the grazing season of 1912 the national forests provided 

 pasturage for approximately 14,000,000 head of stock. More than 

 100,000 head of milch and work stock were grazed free of charge 

 and without permit by settlers within and near the national forests. 

 Permits for which a fee was paid were issued, allowing the grazing 

 of 1,403,025 cattle, 95,345 horses, 4,330 swine, 7,467,890 sheep, and 

 83,849 goats. The natural increase of this stock, for which no permit 

 or fee was required, amounted to approximately 300,000 head of calves 

 and colts, 5,000 swine, and 4,000,000 head of lambs and kids nearly 

 14,000,000 in all. In addition, forage was provided for 89,877 head 

 of cattle and horses, and 5,174,052 head of sheep and goats, while this 



