WHAT THE NATION IS DOING. 9 



in cases of great and unusual need, or to assist enterprises of a public 

 or benevolent character. Under these regulations timber is taken 

 from every National Forest for fuel, fencing, and building material 

 required by settlers, for mining timbers needed in developing mineral 

 claims, and for such community uses as the construction and main- 

 tenance of schools, churches, and bridges. More than 30,714 free- 

 use permits were issued in 1908, in which year about one-fourth of 

 all the timber cut from the National Forests was under free-use 

 permits. 



The purpose of this free-use privilege is to make the Forests con- 

 tribute most effectively to the public welfare. The timber given to 

 individuals is given for the development of the country through set- 

 tlement. It is not proposed to give timber to persons living on or 

 near National Forests, even for their own use, when they may reason- 

 ably be expected to buy. As the home builder becomes established 

 it is fair that the individual should be required to supply his private 

 needs by purchase. On the other hand, permanent provision will 

 be made for community needs through the setting aside of definite 

 areas of timber to be held for free use. Settlers on agricultural 

 land within National Forests will also be liberally supplied with tim- 

 ber for their legitimate needs, since it is to the interest of the Forests 

 themselves, as well as for the best development of the West, that 

 settlement within the Forests should be encouraged wherever the 

 land is most valuable for agriculture. 



GRAZING. 



In the National Forests grazing is regulated in the interest of the 

 stockmen, who pay for permits. The leading objects of the grazing 

 regulations are: (1) The protection and conservative use of all 

 National Forest land adapted for grazing; (2) the permanent good 

 of the live-stock industry through proper care and improvement 

 of the grazing lands; and (3) the protection of the settler and home 

 builder against unfair competition in the use of the range. 



There are many open parks in the Forests and man}^ areas of high 

 altitude above the timber line which produce valuable crops of 

 forage grasses and plants. A large portion of the forested land also 

 produces a good crop of forage in addition to a crop of timber. 



These lands have been occupied by the stockmen ever since the 

 first settlement of the country, and the live-stock industry is largely 

 dependent upon them. Some portions of the range have been 

 greatly overstocked, and serious damage has been done. Overgraz- 

 ing has destroyed the grasses in some localities and serious erosion of 

 the soil has followed. It is in order to stop this damage and protect 

 the Forests in a way which will accomplish the objects for which 

 they are created that grazing is regulated. The cooperation of the 

 2281— Cir. 167—09 2 



