SHEEP UNITED STATES, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. 7 



The Australian pastoralist who pays for the use of his lands 

 according to a long-time contract is at a great advantage over the 

 American pastoralist who enters into unlimited competition for 

 wholly temporary and unlegalized use of public lands. The Austra- 

 lian enjoys the control of the land he uses, and the length of his 

 tenure encourages and justifies him in making investments necessary 

 for the proper utilization of such land. He knows he is safe in 

 making a generous expenditure of his time and capital in breeding 

 his flocks to the highest point of efficiency, because after the result 

 is attained he still has time under his lease to reap the benefits of 

 his accomplishment. This is true, also, in regard to construction 

 of fences, shearing sheds, and accommodations for labor. He builds 

 for himself a reputation for producing a high quality of wool and 

 for preparing it for market in an attractive and reliable manner, 

 and is assured of remaining upon the same land long enough to reap 

 the benefits of the reputation established for his output. 



Too commonly, and not without justification, the American wool 

 producer argues that an investment in improved stock or in the appli- 

 ances and intelligence required to secure a good reputation for his 

 product can not safely be undertaken because of the uncertainty of his 

 continuing in business long enough to reap the benefits. It is well 

 known that under this lack of system the public range has been so 

 overcrowded as to diminish most seriously the amount of feed pro- 

 duced, and consequently its value to the Nation. While it is true that 

 such use as is made of the public domain is made without charge to 

 sheep owners, it is quite plain that a more permanent and better- 

 managed industry would result from a settled policy of leasing or 

 apportioning for fixed periods, under a permit system, the remaining 

 public lands suitable chiefly for grazing, and in blocks of the size 

 necessary to permit the most economical management. 



Users of the American public domain are themselves becoming 

 more agreed as to the desirability of a definite policy for control and 

 improvement of the public grazing lands, even at added cost to them- 

 selves. Such a policy is urgently needed to secure for the country the 

 maximum production from its 290,000,000 acres of unappropriated 

 and unreserved public lands lying mainly in the Western States. 



The State of New South Wales, Australia, is divided into 67 

 pastoral districts. For each district there is a pastures protection 

 board, consisting of eight members, elected by the landowners and 

 stock owners within the district. Acting through these the stock 

 brand) of the State Department of Agriculture enforces the pro- 

 visions of the pastures protection act. The members of the local 

 boards are themselves stock owners and enforce the laws in respect 

 to diseases, quarantine and movement of sheep, fencing against 

 rabbits, and payment of bounties for destruction of noxious animals. 



