I50 



AR I '.OR 1 CULTURE 



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The Aspen. 



THIS is essentially a production of 

 hii^li altitudes and Xorthcrn lati- 

 tudes, growing in the higher 

 Rocky mountains, covering many slopes 

 and filling the valleys at the head of every 

 water course. 



The seed is produced with the same 

 l)rofusion as that of the cottonwood, 

 which is of the same family, and the 

 young growths are very dense where the 

 location is favorable, often more than a 

 million to each square mile, l-'or this 

 reason the .Aspen is usually of (|uite small 

 size, seldom attaining a diameter of 

 more than six inches in such thickets. 

 .\s the groves become thinned in time 

 they increase rapidly in size, and where 

 the trees arc isolated, they become fine, 

 large trees. 



Our cut shows a thicket of Aspens, 

 among which spruce and fir are protected. 

 The one Aspen in foreground is thirty- 

 two inches in diameter, having a long 

 trunk carrying its size to a great height. 

 This is upon the lands of the Colorado 

 Fuel and Iron Company, on the Sangre 

 de Christo Range, Colorado, at the eleva- 

 tion of ten thousand feet. 



Xcarbv are cfroves estimated to con- 



tain 640,000 trees per scpiare mile, rang- 

 ing from eight to si.xtecn inches diameter 

 — each of which would make from three 

 to five lengths of mine timbers. 



An unwarranted prejudice exists in the 

 mountain region against the Aspen, and 

 it is seldom used except for fuel. 



The old adobe houses, some built half 

 a century ago, have fiat roofs, covered 

 with Asjx'n ])oles. upon which is a foot 

 of earth. The melting simw moistens 

 these poles in winter, while in summer 

 they are thoroughly dry. 



I'Vnces are made of the long poles, laid 

 up in the fashion of the rail fences, and 

 in both situations the wood is remarkably 

 enduring. 



^\'luM■e the trees are twelve or more 

 inches in thickness Aspen may be sawed 

 into lumber suited for boxes and all pur- 

 j)oses where a white, soft, light wood is 

 required. There are mmierous uses for 

 lliis liniihiT in the West. 



Where so many mine timbers are used 

 as in Colorado, the .Aspen should be util- 

 ized to preserve the more valuable 

 spruce and fir for future growth. The 

 small coniferous trees now being cut for 

 mine operations, often but five inches at 



