4G BOTANICAL SURVEY OF THE CCEUR d'aLENE MOUNTAINS. 



diameter of 1 to 2 meters (3.3 to 6.5 feet), which is only rarely exceeded. 

 The average is about 1.2 meters (4.9 feet) for individuals of above 

 height. The crown is about two thirds the total length of the tree, 

 sometimes not more than one-third or one-fourth, with remarkably short 

 and few branches. The tree is of indefinite growth— at least I have 

 never seen one without a leader, no matter how old, unless it had acci- 

 dentally become broken. When young the tree is a, rapid grower. 

 After 100 to 150 years the annual growth becomes slow. It begins to 

 furnish prime lumber when about 180 years of age. Like the yellow 

 pine, it sets cones in abundance, and there are always a multitude of 

 young trees with the old ones. The fuel from it is of indifferent quality. 



BLACK PINE. 



Finns murrayana Balfour, 



The black pine is found throughout the whole region of the Cteur 

 d'Alenes. It is unfit for lumber, and is therefore mainly utilized as fuel. 

 It grows tall and slender, and is converted into fence rails, etc., in many 

 localities. There are two varieties of it. One is the prevailing form 

 at low elevations, the other grows mainly at the higher altitudes. The 

 lowlands variety is marked by its dwarfed stature, which seldom exceeds 

 15 meters (50 feet), low and widely branched crown, and coarsely As- 

 sured black bark. This form approaches the black pine of the Wash- 

 ington coast, Pinun contorta, of which it may possibly be a variety 

 rather than of Finns murrayana, The typical form of the present 

 species is strictly limited in its range to the mountain slopes and wet 

 meadows in the upper river basins. It has a comparatively narrow 

 crown and a smoothish, brownish bark, and grows from 20 to 40 meters 

 (05 to 130 feet) in height, and up to 50 cm. (1.0 feet) in diameter in favor- 

 able situations. Its range extends to elevations of 1,000 meters (5,200 

 feet). The character of the wood is similar in both forms. 



WHITE-BARKED PINE. 



Pinus albicaitlis Engelm. 



Tliis is a species strictly limited both in its altitudtnal and regional 

 range, and is but little known or noticed by the people of the Cumr 

 d'Alenes. Within our limits it was more or less abundant on all ridges 

 having a greater elevation than 1,(550 meters (5,400 feet), with the 

 exception of the central and western areas of the North Fork basin, 

 where it was not seen. It is especially plentiful on the divide between 

 the Clearwater and the St. Joseph, on the high ridges which separate 

 the latter stream from the Oceur d'Alene River, and along the main 

 range of the Bitter Boots south from Stevens Peak. Its extreme alti 

 tudinal range is not known. It is found as large and robust at the 

 highest elevations, 2,100 meters (7,100 feet), as it is at points 500 

 meters (1,000 feet) lower. The tree attains a height of 20 meters (05 



