GRAZING RESOURCES AND THEIR UTILIZATION 61 



rived for the revival of the stock association, and the im- 

 provement of the summer range, if only the lid could be held 

 down. The service encouraged the unenthusiastic, plead with 

 the tight wads, and checked the radicals, and tried to har- 

 monize the various elements. They were told that a permit for 

 any special use would have to be held by the stock associa- 

 tion if it was to be located on the summer range. The Stock 

 Association was dead, it is true, but why not revive it? They 

 did. They provided for more salt for the cattle, they planned 

 water troughs, and made yearly programs for handling stock 

 and using the range. They were all ready for the by-laws of 

 the Association, and they felt at this time, with a recognized 

 Advisory Board, the Stock Association could take a hand in 

 grazing affairs. This gave the permittees a feeling of confi- 

 dence. It began to look as if the beef cattle would always 

 be of a quality that would demand a good price. Then 

 why not further increase the price by breeding the stock up 

 to a better standard, since better stock brought in better profits, 

 and greater profits brought greater enthusiasm in the busi- 

 ness. Now they are vieing with each other in suggesting im- 

 provements that can be made to benefit the range, and make 

 the work of riding easier, so that still more time can be spent 

 in improving conditions on the range. Prices are better now, 

 and while this may be due entirely to market changes, no one 

 hesitates about buying Snake River Stock, because they are a 

 better grade than formerly. They are fatter than they used 

 to be, they were never poor or hungry in their lives, their 

 ranges are protected winter and summer, and their owners 

 have confidence enough in their quality to demand the high- 

 est market price. Snake River steers sold as tops on the 

 Portland market this fall. Conditions are still a long ways 

 from ideal, but to deny that the administration of the Forest 

 contributed anything to their betterment would be to deny 

 that they have changed for the better at all." 



The Forest Service administration of grazing lands has 

 made it possible for the various sheepmen as well as cattle- 

 men to plan definitely for the future, with the assurance that 

 they will be allowed the more or less continuous use of the 

 same range from year to year. This has stimulated the im- 



