August 7, 1909 



HORTICULTURE 



166 



Rocky Mountain Rambles 



VII. 



In a previous number of Horticulture I discussed 

 the flora of the Salt Lake Basin from which the vegeta- 

 tion of the semi-arid plain of Idaho does not differ es- 

 sentially. The Sage Brush (Artemisia tridentata) is 

 found in southern Idaho to the foothills of the Blue 

 Mountains and eastward from the Cascade Mountains. 

 Along the streams, especially Snake Kiver, there is a 

 great deal of what is commonly called the Cottonwood 

 (Popuhis angustifoUa) ; on the banks of the stream the 

 Sandbar Willow ( Salix fluviatilis) is an abundant spe- 

 cies, while a form of the Almond-leaved Willow (Salix 

 amygdaloides) is met very often. The Shiny Willow 

 (Salix lasiandra), a beautiful species which should be 

 cultivated in the eastern states, is abundant at higher 

 altitudes. Of the roses the most conspicuous along the 

 streams is the Fendler's Rose (Rosa Fendleri). On the 

 dry arid plains Buckley's Meadow Grass (Poa BucHey- 

 cna) is common, and occasionally the Oryzopsis cuspi- 

 data may be seen. This species is common east to tho 

 Nebraska sand hills and abundant on the plains of Col- 

 orado, New Mexico, and the Dakotas. The widely dis- 

 tributed Needle Grass (Stipa comata) also occurs; on 

 the drj' and rocky hills the western Eed Cedar (Juni- 

 perus occidentalis) occurs in scattered groups. It is 

 the only conifer found on these dry, rocky lava beds. 



Leaving the volcanic lava fields of Idaho we may pass 

 on TO tlie Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, the flora 

 here is much more Eocky Mountain than Cascade. The 

 Bull Pine (Pinus ponderosa) at lower altitudes in the 

 mountain attains great size, often more than 150 feet 

 high and six feet in diameter; at higher altitudes the 

 Lodge Pole Pine (Pinus Murrayana) occurs. Other 

 conifers occurring at higher altitudes are the Engel- 

 mann Spruce (Picea Engelmanii) and the Douglas Fir 

 (Pseudotsuga Douglasii) which does not, however, at- 

 tain its maximum height and development until the west 

 slope of the Cascades is reached, where, too, may be 

 found the Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) 

 and the large leaved Aven (Geum maicrophy litis), the 

 Blue-flowered Lupine (Lupinvs leucophyllus), the Yel- 

 low-flowered Bitterweed (Thermopsis montana), and 

 the Purple-flowered Monkeyflower (Mimulus Lewsii) 

 growing in springs and brooks and in mountain marshes, 

 and the Purple Lousewort (Pedicularis Groenlandica) . 



At the Dalles in Eastern Oregon, on the Columbia, 

 on the eastern slope of the Cascades with a comparative- 

 ly small rainfall wheat and other small grains are grown 

 without irrigation. Peach and other fruit trees are 

 plentifully planted in the valley of the Columbia. The 

 sandbars formed bV the drifting sands from the Colum- 

 bia river for many miles down the stream are interest- 

 ing; they are ever changing and were it not for the 

 "sand fences" erected by the Oregon short line these 

 drifting sands would soon cover the tracks. Towards 

 the stream these dunes are often covered over with a 



The Black Cottonwood i^Poputus trUhocarpa^ Columbia River, near 

 Hood River, Oregon, used in the Manufacture of Boxes 



willow, known as the Columbia Sandbar Willow (Salix 

 sessilifolia), which grows abundantly in this valley. 

 These bars when moist enough become covered with 

 grasses, followed later by this willow. 



The Columbia is in many respects the finest large 

 stream in the United States. It is a delightful trip 

 down the Columbia below the Dalles because of a series 

 of rapids and cascades and the constantly changing 

 scenery contrasted with the beautiful green on the moun- 

 tain slopes. Much of the timber along the slope has 

 long since been removed, but an abundant new growth 

 of pines, firs and spruces is rapidly replacing the old 

 trees. 



The eastern slope of the Cascades is much drier than 

 the western slope. In the bottoms along the sk-eam near 

 Hood Eiver one begins to see large trees of the Black 

 Cottonwood (Popuhis trichacarpa) from 2 to 4 feet in 

 diameter, attaining a height of 150 feet, although on the 

 west slope of the Cascades along other streams and the 

 Columbia it may attain a diameter of 8 feet and a height 

 of 200 feet. It is the most magnificent of our poplars. 

 It is largely used for making excelsior and boxes. 

 Below the Dalles one gets a fine view of Mt. Hood, the 

 glaciated peak of the Cascades in Oregon, and a mag- 

 nificent peak it is. Though not a lofty mountain, it 

 presents a grand spectacle. The most accessible point 

 to reach the mountain is Hood Eiver on the Columbia. 

 The city of Hood Eiver has become famous on account 

 of its fruit industry and has given Oregon more fame in 



