an additional 2 percent of the total animal-unit months required, 

 thus bringing the total national-forest contribution to 7/ 2 percent. 

 (Federal grazing districts account for about 6^ percent and 

 private range and cropland for about 85 percent.) 



Permitted cattle grazed an average of 5.2 months on the 

 national forests in 1947: sheep 2.9 months. Most national-forest 

 ranges are grazed during the summer when the mountain forage 

 is growing. Some, especially in the Southwest, are grazed year- 

 long. The lush, palatable forage on cool summer ranges produces 

 a large percentage of high-quality fat lambs and grass-fat steers 

 which go direct to slaughter. 



12. What grazing fee is charged? 



In 1948 the average fee per head per month was 40 cents for 

 cattle and 10 cents for sheep. No fee is charged for the young 

 of permitted livestock, provided they enter the national forest 

 before they are 6 months of age. When the original base fee was 

 established in 1928, it was based on commercial rates for leasing 

 comparable private lands, adjusted according to accessibility, 

 limitations as to use, and other factors affecting grazing of each 

 national-forest allotment, with some additional discount. The 

 grazing fee for each year is set annually according to a formula 

 worked out in cooperation with the national stockmen's associa- 

 tions, based on average livestock prices in the Western States 

 during the previous year. The current fees are now less than 

 one-half the rates on comparable private range. 



13. How does grazing compare with other values of national- 

 forest lands in the western United States? 



In 1948 revenue to the Federal Government from grazing 

 receipts from western national forests totaled a little less than 3 

 million dollars; receipts from the sale of timber totaled over 20 

 million dollars. These are the two main income-producing uses. 



The value of national forests for water yield is very high. A 

 fair average market value for irrigation water in the West as it 

 comes from watersheds is $1.50 an acre-foot. A reasonable aver- 

 age yield of water from an acre of western mountain watersheds 

 is one-half acre-foot per year, valued at 75 cents. The value of 

 the forage crop on western ranges, as indicated by the rentals 

 livestock operators pay for use of private range land, runs from 

 about 1 to 1 cents an acre yearly. 



The total investment of national-forest grazing permirters in 

 ranch properties and livestock has been estimated at about 



