SHEEP—UNITED STATES, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. i 
The Australian pastoralist who pays for the use of his lands 
according to a long-time contract is at a great advantage over the 
American pastoralist who enters into unlimited competition for 
wholly temporary and unlegalized use of public lands. The Austra- 
lian enjoys the control of the land he uses, and the length of his 
tenure encourages and justifies him in making investments necessary | 
for the proper utilization of such land. He knows he is safe in 
making a generous expenditure of his time and capital in breeding 
his flocks to the highest point of efficiency, because after the result 
is attained he still has time under his lease to reap the benefits of 
his accomplishment. This is true, also, in regard to construction 
of fences, shearing sheds, and accommodations for labor. He builds 
for himself a reputation for producing a high quality of wool and 
for preparing it for market in an attractive and reliable manner, 
and is assured of remaining upon the same land long enough to reap 
the benefits of the reputation established for his output. 
Too commonly, and not without justification, the American wool 
producer argues that an investment in improved stock or in the appli- 
ances and intelligence required to secure a good reputation for his 
product can not safely be undertaken because of the uncertainty of his 
continuing in business long enough to reap the benefits. It is well 
known that under this lack of system the public range has been so 
overcrowded as to diminish most seriously the amount of feed pro- 
duced, and consequently its value to the Nation. While it is true that 
such use as is made of the public domain is made without charge to 
sheep owners, it 1s quite plain that a more permanent and better- 
managed industry would result from a settled policy of leasing or 
apportioning for fixed periods, under a permit system, the remaining 
public lands suitable chiefly for grazing, and in blocks of the size 
necessary to permit the most economical management. 
Users of the American public domain are themselves becoming 
more agreed as to the desirability of a definite policy for control and 
improvement of the public grazing lands, even at added cost to them- 
selves. Such a policy is urgently needed to secure for the country the 
maximum production from its 290,000,000 acres of unappropriated 
and unreserved public lands lying mainly in the Western States. 
The State of New South Wales, Australia, is divided into 67 
pastoral districts. For each district there is a pastures protection 
board, consisting of eight members, elected by the landowners and 
stock owners within the district. Acting through these the stock 
branch of the State Department of Agriculture enforces the pro- 
visions of the pastures protection act. The members of the local 
boards are themselves stock owners and enforce the laws in respect 
to diseases, quarantine and movement of sheep, fencing against 
rabbits, and payment of bounties for destruction of noxious animals. 
