PLAN OF UTILIZATION 177 



usually, with opportunity for grazing. All kinds of stock injure 

 brush and tree growth, they hurt the small seedling most, trample 

 and tear them out ; they browse, on hardwoods more than conifers ; 

 they rub, bark, and break all kinds. This damage is overrated by 

 the European forester who has, for centuries, had to fight to keep 

 any forest cover at all in nearly all densely populated portions. The 

 danger is much underrated by the farmer and stockman and by 

 most people in the United States. The damage is greater with close 

 herding as is practiced with sheep, and in general, can be modified 

 very materially by proper methods of handling. 



In many of the forest properties of the West, there exist large 

 areas of grass and brush lands which have been in this non-forested 

 condition for centuries and the likelihood is that difficulties of re- 

 forestation, slow growth, and remote inaccessible location will tend 

 to keep these areas in such condition for many years more. Here 

 grazing is the only proper use of the lands. In many cases grazing 

 assists the forester by the removal of an inflammable grass cover 

 by keeping interested people scattered over these areas during the 

 danger season, and by tearing up the top soil and trampling in the 

 seed of trees. In these western mountain forests grazing is generally 

 restricted to summer season, average about 100 days, involves mostly 

 sheep and cattle, to a small extent goats and horses, the latter both 

 destructive stock. Capacity of the range varies within wide limits, 

 averages in our western mountains and under present conditions 

 about one head of sheep to four acres of land for the 100 days, or 

 about twenty-five sheep rations per acre. Five sheep are set equiva- 

 lent to one head of cattle. 



The income from this industry, about 3-5 cts. per acre and 

 season, is very small, and use of the land for this purpose is advis- 

 able only as long as a good forest can not be established or main- 

 tained. In planning for the proper method of handling this business 

 several important points arise : the relation of forest owner and 

 local people demands that neighboring stock owners receive prefer- 

 ence, that small owners be treated fairly and that each stockman has 

 assurance of his range. Safety of range and forest demand that 

 each man be allotted his own separate range, that he be given the 

 same one for a number of years, so that he becomes interested in the 



