Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-02
THE NATIONAL
FORESTS AND
THEIR Use
COUNTLESS HERDS CRAZE
ON GOVERNMENT LAND
Annual Report Shows More
Stock Has Been Accommo-
dated Than Ever Before in
History of Service,

Washington. ID. C., Sept THE
annual report of grazing on the ma
tional forests for the fiscal year 1906
1907, which has Just been completed,
shows that G.657.0S3 sheep and goats
and 200 horses and cattle grazed
under permit on the ranges The pre-
vious years totals We're. sheep and
goats. 4.263.10o; horses and cattle,
1,025,14S. The total receipts from
grazing permits for the year were
SS57.S56.S3. For the preceding year
the amount was s5i4.692S7
During the year lust closed the re-
port shows that %, ,GG2 applicants for
pasture were approved. and Of these
applications 1.7SG paid the fees and
were granted permits. That was %
per cent Last year there were 49,
040 applications aud 1888 permits,
or % per cent The fact that the per-
centage .of permits was the same In
both years tends 10 show that the
method of transactig the business Is
systematic and that great fluctuations
need not be exnected.
The Increase in the number Of stock
on the ranges for this year Is due al
most wholly 20 the Increased area OF
the range. and does not mean that the
pastures are crowded more this year
than last The total area of the for
and greater number of stock can be
accommodated without an increase
per acre The area Of the national for
ests of the United States and Alaska
amounts to 1856. 6.000. .0O0 acres, but
stock Is not pastured on all the forests
In some regions cattle and horses pre-
dominate. in others sheep and goats.
The natural conditions of the land
throughout the mountains Of the west
A. D. . a.. D. q.
the national forests of necessity in
cude many ouen parks chiefly valu-
able for grazing The importance of
the live stock industry demands that
these ranges be fully and fairly uul-
lied in the Interest," OF the communi-
ties which depend q on 1t. The graz
ing regulations of h,e forest service
are intended TO meet the demand with
the utmost care, so as 60 insure the
people OF the west the continued use
and constant Improvement of the ma
tional forest range.
Stockmen who wish 10 make use n
the range apply for permits. They
state the kind Of stock they have, the
quantity and location Of the range
they want. and the Officers in charge
make allotments, apporti0ning the
available pasture among the appll-
cants on as equitable basis as prac-
tiCable.
Many stockmen living on the bor-
ders Of forests have ranges OF their
own. but TO reach II with stock 10 is
frequently necessary or convenient to
drive across portions Of the forest To
do this they are required 90 obtain q
permit. but no charge Is made for Z.
This year S33 such permits were
granted and 3G.S07 horses and cattle
and 2.051 $50 sheep and goats crossed.
Last year 269 permits Of that kind
were issued and 12.G26 horses and Cat-
tie and 6s2.540 sheep crossed
Sometimes stockmen who live near
forests or who have stock near them
allow their stock 10 drift across the
lire. II this is done clrelessly, neg
ligently or willfullv IL Is considere
trespass. and the offender Is subject 10
a fine and may also be liable 20 pay
damages. The number Of trespass
cases this year was 1873, and l6N or
these settled without going 10 court
that is they paid the amount agreed
upon as lust The remaining fifteen
had not yet settled at the close of the
fiscal year but u Is believed that most
Of them will do as the others have
done There is little disposition TO go
to law or make trouble over such
matters. The total damages collected
for trespase FOR the year was Sb,5tb.
Another kind Of permit is issued iu
certain cases Sometimes "a man owns
land inside a forest or partly sur
rounded hy a.. and rather than fence
ft TO keep his stock la he signs am
agreement that " his stock is allowed
to Craze in the forest other stock iu
the forest may graZe on his land. Ar
of that Kind are frequent
aud are often very convenient and sat-
isfactory. He simply swaps MS rans'
FOR an equal amount of grazing outside
his lines. and 30 is an used in COM
mon. This year G15 such permits
were issued for 1s.62i horses nnd
cattle and 1889 sheep aud goats.
I Iast wear there were Pa similar per
mits aud the stock affected consisted
Of IS.S23 horses and cattle and llh.-
400 sheen and boats
The business relations between the
stockmen and forest Officers through
out the entire grazing region have
been pleasant and sltisfaotory 30 -
rious trouble or misunderstanding oc-
CURED anywhere during the year.