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Show parcelled out by more or less definite com- pacts or agreements among the various inter- ests. These tacit agreements are continually being violated. The sheepmen and the cattle- men are in frequent collision because of in- cursions upon each other's domains. Land which has been regarded as exclusively cattle range may be infringed upon by large bands of sheep, forced by drought to migrate. Vio- lence and homicide follow frequently, after which new adjustments are made and matters quiet down for a while. There are localities where people are utilizing to their own satis- faction the open range, and their demand is that they be let alone so that they may parcel out among themselves the use of the lands. Cattle grazing became a dominant agricultural pursuit leading to the creation of homes and com- munities. By 1900, all of the better range land was occupied. Although grazing became stable, live- stock movement over extensive areas was continued. In most instances, the stock followed the range from the lower lands up to the high mountain meadows as the season advanced. The stock moved down again as winter progressed. In more southerly areas, grazing was practiced on a year- long basis. Nomadic herds continued to "trail," the herds moving considerable distances from grazed-out lands to fresher range, all on public lands. For the most part, grazing was free and un- fettered. When the national forests were created in 1905 from the public domain, rules regarding range use were put into effect. Associations of permittees with advisory boards were established. Range improvements were constructed and im- proved practices of handling livestock were required. Grazing was placed on a permit basis and payment for range use was required. Thus a form of regulation became attached to some of the Federal range lands. Gradually these con- trols on summer range use and to some extent also on spring and fall range use had a marked effect. They closed the forests to nomadic herds and forced stockmen to herd their livestock onto the unre- served range for longer periods, thereby encour- aging overgrazing on the nonforest range. In turn this caused the elimination of some stock because of poor range conditions, and stimulated the pro- duction of hay and the use of irrigated pastures to supply additional feed. Each grazier used the public range lands to the utmost. If he did not, some other herd took the TABLE 14.-Percentage of farms by types according to source of income (1939) in upper basin States forage. The general effect was serious overgrazing of all range, public and private. During drought years, conditions became even more critical. Many of the better forage species were killed out or weakened, especially the nutritious grasses. The better plants were replaced by weeds or invaders inferior to the native plants as feed. With in- creasing range use, cactus took over large areas. Juniper, freed from grass competition, spread. Range fires were followed by the invasion of for- eign grasses of limited range use. But the pressures on the public lands increased as livestock numbers increased with a declining forage. The 1909 Homestead Act, permitting entry upon 320 acres instead of 160, was replaced by the 1916 Stock Grazing Act, permitting entry upon 640 acres. Under both acts, a large acreage passed into private ownership. In 1934 the Taylor Grazing Act was passed. It provided for grazing districts; preference of estab- lished range users; collection of fees for permits to range use; improvement of the range; land ex- change and sale of scattered tracts; leasing of small scattered areas; and creation of advisory boards. Under the Taylor Act nomadic herds were virtu- ally eliminated. It also reduced further homestead- ing as, before land could be filed upon, it had first to be classified as to its best use. It required that the public range lands be placed under administra- tive management. This is now provided under the Bureau of Land Management of the Department of the Interior. The number of grazing districts in the Colorado River Basin States, together with the area included, are shown in table 15. The area of leased lands is gradually decreasing through sales. 419 Livestock Stot and Field Other e live- crops crops stock products Percent Percent Percent Wyoming................. 77.8 7.8 0.3 Colorado................. 35.7 32.3 9.8 Utah..................... 39.8 19.2 1.1 New Mexico.............. 27.9 21.0 5.5 Upper Basin.............. 37.6 26.9 6.9 |