The daily sentinel., 1909-12-08
LOCAL CATTLE
MEN BENEFITED

Reports on national forest
business which have just been
compiled for the last fiscal year
show that 3, 162 cattle and horse
permits, and 40 sheep and goat
permits we're issued, allowing
the grazing of 213,I0O cattle,
10, ,1S3 horses, 3,128 goats, and
Gi2,1i5 sheep on the seventeen
forests in the state of Colorado.
Taking the yearbook recently is
sued by the Department of Agricul-
ture as basis, this means that sew
enteen per cent of the cattle. nearly
four per cent of the horses and mules,
and thirty-eight per cent of the sheep
and goats which were owned in Colo
rado January /, 1903, were provided
with range in the national forests
during the year. The figures in the
yearbook include very large num-
Der of mich cows and horses on
farms, while the animals grazed un-
der permit upon the national forests
are almost entirely range stock This
would mean that the proportion of
range stock grazed on the national
forests is even larger than the per-
centages given.
Full consideration was given to
the protection of important water
sheds upon which city water supplies
and federal and private irrigation
enterprises are dependent, and to ev-
cry other interest involved. In addi-
ton, the settlers in and near the for
ests were fully safeguarded in their
rights and in the use of the ranges
upon which they were depeadent. No
better example OF the value of such
protection can be found than on the
western slope of the Rockies where,
by reason of it, cattlemen are enabled
to improve the grade of their stock,
until at present the annual stock
show at Denver displays pen after
pen of western slope prize winners
which have been bred and summer
grazed upon the national forests of
that locality.
Equitable division of the range
and protection from migratory bands
of sheep and herds of transient cat
tie have made it profitable for stock
owners using national forests ranges
to purchase the best bulls and the
best bucks brought to the Colorado
stock shows, and to so handle their
stock that n maximum of quality and
quantity is secured at q minimum of
expense.
This is not alone due to the pro-
vision of range. although that is the
principle factor, but 1t is TO larger
extent attributable to the facilities
which are afforded the stockmen.
Working in cooperation with stock
owners. the service has constructed
a large mileage of drift fence which
protects ranges, prevents straying
and loss, and enables stockmen to
separate their breeding stuff from
their beef cattle so as to secure the
largest increases and the most beef
at a minimum cost. Necessary pas
lures are allowed, as are corrals. pipe
lines, stock tanks, reservoirs, and 9TH
er legitimate uses of the range essen
tial to proper handling of the stock
business. In the past twelve months
lS9 permits have been issued allow
ing the special use of almost 10000
acres of forest land, and rights of
way amounting to forty-five miles,
and the total number of such permits
now in effect is 1872, covering an area
of over $4,000 acres, and fence and
pipe line rights of way of more than
110 miles. OF these permits 100 are
free, While 323 are granted at nomi-
nal rates of rental for the land in
volved,
One of the features of the grazing
work in Colorado is the degree to
which local administration prevails.
At present sixteen local stock associa-
tions are officially recognized and
all of these organizations serve in an
advisory capacity through the med
ium of their advisory boards. being
notified in advance of any proposed
action or change which will affect the
interests of their members and hav-
ing an opportunity to submit recon-
mendations before final steps are
taken to place the change in effect.