ARBORICULTURE 



i73 



Pinus Ponderosa. 



Among the Clouds in Colorado. 



It is not an uncommon experience for 

 mountain climbers to be upon a high 

 peak and look down from a clear sky 

 upon dense clouds from which snow or 

 rain is being- precipitated upon the plains 

 or valleys below; the editor has had 

 many such impressions, but on February 

 the 23rd, while examining a large tract 

 of pine timber on the divide not far from 

 I'almor Lake, Colo., quite another expe- 

 rience occurred. 



The morning was fairly bright, as at 

 sunrise the range of mountains to the 

 West, as well as Pikes Peak, was m 

 plain view, the snow covered slopes shin- 

 ing resplendent as a ray of sunshine pen- 

 etrated the partial mist, and the dark, 

 steep canons contrasted with the more 

 regular snowy surfaces. While yet ad- 

 miring the beautiful scene. Pikes Peak 

 was suddenly enveloped in clouds, and 

 soon the entire range was hidden. 



The elevation of this divide is 7,000 

 feet, no where steep, but with long, 

 gently rolling slopes over which we 

 drove in a buggy through the forests of 

 Pinus Ponderosa. This tree is not a 

 dweller of the highest Rockies, but grad- 

 ually disappears at from 7,000 to 8,000 

 feet elevation — Spruce and Aspen ap- 

 pearing at the latter elevations. 



Ponderosa is essentially an arid region 

 tree, the melting snows and minimum 

 rain showers providing sufficient mois- 

 ture, while the sandy or gravelly soil of 

 the plains suits its ponderous roots, ena- 

 bling them to build up the super-struc- 

 ture wdiich is so well named Bull Pine. 



There seems to be no other tree of any 

 consequence which will take root from 

 natural seeding, grow rapidly and de- 

 velop into valuable timber in a soil so 

 dry and porous as exists throughout the 

 plains regions, under conditions of 

 aridity which prevail west of the looth 

 meridian and at such an elevation. 



Pinus Ponderosa, therefore, possesses a 

 value in reafiforestation as a grand forest 

 tree which places it beyond the usual 

 popular estimate of timber trees. It is 

 the only solution of the forest problem 

 for the great plains region. South 



Dakota, western Nebraska and Kansas, 

 Colorado and westward to California. 



Of the millions of seeds produced, by 

 far the greater quantity are devoured by 

 small animals and also forms the food of 

 birds, yet a sufficient quantity falls in 

 good ground and germinates to quickly 

 reproduce a forest where a sufficient 

 number of seed trees remain. 



The tract over which I was passing 

 supplied the crossties for the Kansas 

 Pacific railway in 1869, being hauled in 

 ox-carts four hundred miles into Kansas. 

 Again, a few years later, the trees which 

 had become large enough were cut lor 

 the Denver & Rio Grande and Colorado 

 & Southern railways. The last cutting 

 was in 1884, wdien every tree above eight 

 inches in diameter was removed for ties 

 and fuel. The rapidity with wdiich the 

 young timber has grown is marvelous 

 ^yhen the environments are considered. 

 Many fine trees are now twelve to six- 

 teen inches in diameter, and stand fairly 

 well upon the ground. Seed has been 

 produced in abundance and groves of 

 young trees of from six inches to six feet 

 in height are numerous where the seed 

 has scattered in more recent years. On 

 this tract care has been used to prevent 

 fires and the young growths are there- 

 fore uninjured. 



It is interesting to note the rate of 

 increase in this timber in nineteen years. 

 The trees eight inches in diameter were 

 then cut for shingles ; those of larger 

 size for ties. Thus the growths which 

 were seven inches are now twelve to six- 

 teen and upwards in diameter, probably 

 an average of six and one-half inches^ 

 increase, or one inch in three years, the 

 increased area in the nineteen-year 

 period being 3.7 times that in 1884, while 

 the increase bulk is four times as great. 



Towards noon the clouds began to de- 

 cend, like a great fog, they rolled along. 

 The temperature was reduced, being 

 somewhat below freezing. There was no 

 rain or snow, but upon every tree and on 

 our garments and wraps there was a 

 frosty deposit which clung with tenacity. 

 We had some thirtv miles to drive 



