228 THE TREE BOOK 



get altogether beyond control. Many forests 

 preserve fire lines — strips kept bare and free 

 from inflammable material of every sort. 

 These are very useful in checking small fires, 

 and are of great value as lines of defense in 

 fighting larger ones. 



Grazing. Each National Forest has its 

 ''stock allotment," that is a certain number of 

 grazing animals, and no more, may pasture 

 there. This regulation pasturing is a real pro- 

 tection to the trees, for the cattle and sheep 

 keep down weeds and grass which would dry 

 and might later serve as food for flames. Cat- 

 tle pastured in the National Forests are so well 

 fed that they are said to bring a higher price 

 on the market than others. They are sure, too, 

 of being well watered, for the forest officers 

 must see to the condition of the watering places. 

 The National Forests of the West serve as 

 ranges for thousands of horses, cattle, and 

 sheep, which would otherwise find decidedly 

 poor picking in that land of little rain. There 

 are "drift fences" along the boundaries of the 

 National Forests, which keep cattle from stray- 

 ing in or out, and Forest Service employees 

 must see that these fences are kept up. Stock 

 owners must pay a specified sum per head for 

 grazing privileges. 



