RANGE MANAGEMENT ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 19 



CLASS OVERGRAZING. 



The term " class overgrazing " originated in an attempt to desig- 

 nate a condition where the character of forage has changed materi- 

 ally as a result of continued grazing by one class of stock year after 

 year. Where this condition occurs on a cattle range the plants most 

 relished by cattle, usually grasses, decrease in abundance, and the 

 weeds, less palatable to cattle but choice sheep feed, increase, Just 

 the opposite change may take place on sheep range, the choice weeds 

 decreasing and the grasses increasing. In either case, a good ground 

 cover of plants suited to one or the other class of stock may be present 

 after the range has deteriorated and has been reduced in grazing 

 capacity for the class of stock allotted to it. This change appears 

 to be a natural result where the range is grazed before the forage 

 plants mature, because the development of the plants preferred by 

 the given class of stock is lessened by grazing and the removal of 

 these plants gives the less choice forage plants advantage in the 

 natural competition. 



Whether the change is due entirely to grazing or in part to natu- 

 ral factors, the result is not serious if the change is recognized and 

 adjustments made so as to maintain the desired balance in forage 

 plants — which means maintenance of an effective cover as well as of 

 grazing value. This balance can be maintained with the least loss 

 of forage by common use by the two classes of stock, as indicated 

 under the heading " Determination of Class of Stock to Which 

 Eange is Best Suited." Where common use is not feasible a change 

 in class of stock is needed, or deferred grazing should be applied, or, 

 as a final resort, the number of stock should be reduced. 



OVERGRAZING OF SCATTERING SPECIES. 



The recognition and adjustment of class overgrazing involves the 

 decision as to whether a range should be managed so as to perpetu- 

 ate a species which is a very desirable forage plant, but which occurs 

 only in scattering stands. This decision must be based upon the 

 abundance and palatability of the species in question as compared to 

 the abundance and palatability of the other plants which make up 

 the forage crop. Good judgment in sizing up the local situation 

 rather than any percentage figures on abundance and palatability 

 is the essential factor in arriving at a conclusion. It is believed that 

 no attempt should be made to graze so lightly that palatable forage 

 plants which occur in scattering stands will be perpetuated in their 

 original abundance. To perpetuate 10 per cent and waste 70 per cent 

 of the available feed would be poor economy. On the other hand, it 

 would be more disastrous to overgraze and eventually destroy 50 per 

 cent of the forage in order fully to utilize 20 per cent which is low in 



