524 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
The timber *all around this section of the country, that is, the valuable portion, 
such as oak and ash, is gradually disappearing; it is done through the agency of 
man. * * * ‘The decrease of timber by fire is slight. 
The planting of trees has been resorted to this side of the line only in one instance, 
by Mr. A. W. Stiles, post-trader at this post, who last spring planted about one pound 
of maple-seed, and has met with the most encouraging success. Iam told that on the 
Canadian side of the line tree- planting has been Tesorted to by several persons, and 
also the prospects for success are most flattering. The planting is done by shoots or 
cuttings, and thrives most remarkably. 
The transplanting of trees is not practiced, and the experience we have had at this 
post would not be encouraging to the adoption of it. The storms of winter and high 
winds that prevail at certain seasons destroy them, and to grow them requires the 
greatest care and attention. 
FORT RANDALL. 
Latitude, 45° 01’; longitude, 90° 33’; on the right bank of the Mis- 
souri. Timber is found only on the islands and river bottoms ; it consists 
principally of cottonwood and elm. Average temperature, about 47°. 
LOWER BRULE AGENCY. 
Latitude, 43° 57’; longitude, 99° 21’. On the right bank of the Mis- 
souri. The ee a for the year 1876, as ascertained by gauge, was 16.29 
inches. The largest fall generally occurs in June and September. The 
elevation is about fourteen hundred feet. 
Captain I. D. De Russey, First Infantry, says: 
The present extent of forest area is comprised in short and narrow belts, confined in 
close proximity to the Missouri River, on bottom-lands and islands of sedimentary 
formation, the results of overflow and change of course of the river. It is my opinion 
that if the timber could be in a continuous belt along the river it would not be over 
twenty feet in width. The main tributaries of the river are scarcely fringed, and if 
in a continuous belt would not be over 10 feet in width. The timber consists princi- 
pally of cottonwood, with occasionally small clusters of ash and burr-oak. The 
growth of the cottonwood is rapid, the trees often obtaining a diameter at the base of 
36 inches. When green it burns indifferently, and when dry it burns very rapidly, 
supplying a minimum amount of heat. No timber exists away from the river or its 
tributaries. 
In the last three years, in my opinion, the amount of timber has decreased one-fourth, 
having been used principally by the troops and steamboats plying the river for fuel, 
Some is also used by the Indian agencies and troops for building purposes. The In- 
dians and their large herds of ponies destroy a great part of the young growth of the 
edttonwood timber. * * On the tributaries, White Earth River, American Creek, 
Yellow Medicine, &c., much timber has been destroyed by prairie fires. 
No trees have been planted. I believe, however, that transplanting would be suc- 
cessful. The young trees would at first require support and protection against the 
strong winds and liberal irrigation. 
FORT SULLY. 
Latitude, 44° 37’; longitude, 100° 36’. On the left bank of the Mis- 
souri River. The range of temperature is very great, from 106° in sum- 
mer to 40° below zero in winter. Rainfall, as determined by established 
gauge, from January 1 to October 31, 1877 7, was 13.22 inches, and the 
snowfall for the same period was 3.02 inches. The elevation is 1,678 
feet, but it is not known how it was determined. 
Major H. M. LAZELLE, First Infantry, says: 
The present extent of forest area of this reservation (forty-two square miles) avaii- 
able for wood does not exceed fifty acres, and for useful timber it is nothing. 
First Lieutenant JoHN HAMILTON, First Infantry, says: 
The forest area of the military reservation of this post and the surrounding country, 
is almost entirely limited to a small strip of timber running along the bank of the 
Missouri River, composed chiefly of cottonwood with a small sprinkling of willow, 
