DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



73 



not possible, decreasing the number gradually, the necessary reduction has 

 been accomplished without serious loss to the stock industry. 



Next to heavily overstocking, continued premature grazing has been 

 most prominent in bringing about the deterioration of Western ranges. 



In the fight for range under the old system of free-for-all grazing, 

 stock were rushed to the range when the snow had barely disappeared. 

 The tender foliage was cropped or trampled out as fast as it appeared 

 above ground, a practice which, if continued, will kill any range. 



The second step in the constructive policy was to establish regular 

 grazing seasons for each locality, in order to eliminate this premature 

 grazing and its detrimental effects as far as practicable and consistent with 

 the absolute needs of the local stock industry. 



With a reduction in stock to what the range would properly support 

 and the premature grazing largely eliminated or planned for, it was pos- 

 sible to give attention to more detailed constructive work. 



An effort was made to divide the range fairly between the different 

 kinds of stock, considering forest management and protection and the 

 adaptability of the range as well as the local needs of the stock industry; 

 then to divide the range for a given class of stock between those who were 

 entitled to a grazing privilege for this class of stock, giving each permittee, 

 so far as possible, his individual range and protecting him against en- 

 croachments from other stock. 



This was the final step in eliminating the necessity for waste or bad 

 management through competition for the forage on a given area and gave 

 an opportunity for further constructive management on the part of both 

 the Forest Service and the stockman. 



While the adjustments to eliminate overstocking, premature grazing 

 and the destruction of range through competition for forage were gradu- 

 ally progressing, work was being done also with a view to bringing about 

 better methods of controlling and handling the stock so as to reduce the 

 waste of forage from trampling and secure better distribution over the 

 entire range. 



- Any travel by the stock further than absolutely necessary to secure 

 feed and water means a decrease in the amount of meat produced with a 

 given amount of forage. With this as a basic principle, the effort has 

 been — and still is — to eliminate all unnecessary handling of the stock, 

 whether sheep, cattle, horses, goats or swine. 



In controlling cattle, natural topographic units have been used as far 

 as they will serve. 



It was early recognized, however, that topography must in many cases 

 be supplemented by drift and division fences. 



Accordingly, a regulation was secured allowing the construction of 

 fences where it is evident that they will be beneficial to the stock, the 

 forest or the range and will not give unfair advantage to the individual. 



In the majority of cases the Service has cooperated with stockmen in 

 fence construction. The fencing privilege has been gradually elaborated 



