206 OUR NATIONAL FORESTS 



Forests are divided into grazing districts. A typi- 

 cal Forest is divided into from 4 to 6 districts which 

 may be natural grazing units, natural administra- 

 tive units (coinciding with the Ranger districts), or 

 parts of the Forest used by different classes of stock 

 or parts of the Forest having different lengths of 

 grazing seasons. Each grazing district is also sub- 

 divided into smaller divisions, units, or allotments. 

 These are usually natural divisions defined by top- 

 ographic boundaries, such as ridges, mountains, 

 streams, etc., or more or less artificial divisions 

 determined by the class of stock which uses them. 

 For example, cattle and horses ordinarily graze in 

 the valleys along the streams, while sheep and goats 

 graze the crests of ridges and the slopes of moun- 

 tains and will cross none but shallow streams. 

 Each range division or unit is usually given a well- 

 known local name, such as "Duck Lake Unit" or 

 "Clover Valley Unit." One or more stockmen may 

 be allotted to such a unit, depending upon the size 

 of the unit and the number of animals it can feed. 

 If only one stockinan.uses it, it becomes an individ- 

 ual allotment. Usually a sheep owner with several 

 large bands of sheep is allotted one large unit 

 adapted to sheep grazing, while a large unit 



