INTRODUCTION TO THE REPORT ON THE C(EUR D'ALENE 



MOUNTAINS. 



From the appropriations made for botanical investigations and 

 experiments a portion lias been devoted annually during the past four 

 years to an examination of the botanical resources of certain little- 

 known portions of the United States. Reports on some of these inves- 

 tigations have already been published. The one now transmitted deals 

 with that portion of the Bitter Root Mountains of northern Idaho known 

 as the Cceur d'Alenes, a fairly representative part of the whole range, 

 and as the region is heavily timbered the economic part of the report 

 necessarily deals largely with trees. 



Mr. Leiberg's instructions from the Botanist were substantially as 

 follows : 



The region in which you will lie engaged is the Cceur d'Alene Mountains of north- 

 ern Idaho and as much of the adjacent country as you find time to explore in addi- 

 tion to ascertaining the facts called for in these instructions. 



Your work will cover the following subjects : (1) A collection of alL the species of 

 plants in the region traversed; (2) a general account of the topography and 

 climatic conditions of the region; (3) the timber resources of the country and its 

 relation to other local industries; (4) the local and aboriginal uses of native plant 

 products, particularly food plants, and (5) an analysis of the llora of the region into 

 its several component floras, in their relation particularly to topographic and 

 climatic conditions. 



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You will report the number and size of the streams flowing from the Cieur d'Alene 

 Mountains and t<> what extent they are uBed for irrigation. You will ascertain as 

 nearly as may be the rainfall in various parts of the range, and secure, if possible, 

 data on the temperature and prevailing winds, particularly with reference to the 

 source of rainfall. 



Under timber resources, you will ascertain the size, kinds, and amount of timber, 

 by localities, and its accessibility to streams or other means of transportation. You 

 will ascertain whether stock is ranged in the forests, and whether sheep alone, or 

 cattle and horses in addition, comprise the stock so ranged. You will ascertain 

 whether valuable mineral deposits have been discovered in the forest area, and 

 whether they are actually being worked at the present time. You will also, if prac- 

 ticable, make measurements of particular trees, to give a fair idea of the size of each 

 kind of timber. * * * 



You will ascertain, so far as possible, what plants have been used for food by the 

 aboriginal tribes, and will collect herbarium specimens of the plants themselves, 

 together with specimens of the food products, in various stages of preparation, as 



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