e 
FORESTRY. 549 
In the lowlands, in the immediate vicinity of the river andits own progeny, or, more 
properly speaking, its own products, the water, spreading through the temporarily 
accumulated soil, keeps it moist and more favorable to vegetation, which springs from 
it in luxuriant wildness. 
The first species to appear are, generally, the Bouteloua sesleria, or mesquite grass, 
then the peculiar grass or fiber yclept ‘‘ Tanglefoot,” and the Gallete, or rough bunch- 
grass, the least nutritious of the trio. At thisstage the Juniperus, properly belonging 
to the flora of Arizona, begins to enliven the scene. 
Thick groves, or plantations, if not a misnomer, of the different species of the arrow- 
weed, the Salix longifolia, Tessaria borealis, Baccharis coerulescens, and Baccharis salicina, 
stand out as if sown like wheat-fields, the somber and dusty tints of their leaves trench- 
ing in bold relief upon the brighter green of other shrubs. 
Interspersed here and there among these we find the two species of the mesquite tree, 
the Algarobia glandulosa and the Strombocarpa pubescens, and finally, along the margin of 
lagunas, the most substantial of the Colorado timber, the willow and cottonwood. 
The largest of these last, in the entire course of the river, are on what is called 
“Cottonwood Island,” between Camp Mohave and the Grand Cation, where they have 
attained a size which may be styled majestic, when the nature of the surrounding 
country is taken into consideration; and this is due to the permanent nature of the 
island, upon which they have been allowed to attain their full size. 
The cottonwood, mesquite, and willow are the principal, if not the only, fuel of the 
country; the first having a diameter varying from 10 to 20 inches when they do not 
reach maturity; the two last from 4 to 10 inches. 
To sum up, the principal growths of the entire region may be tabulated as follows: 
Atriplex hymenelytra. Airiplex polycarpa. Palafoxia linearis. 
Psathyrotes ramosissima. Physalis lobata. Tippia cuneifolia. 
Aster spinosus. Sesbania macrocarpa. Abronia. 
Pluchea Sarcostemma. Algarobia glandulosa. Strombocarpa pubescens. 
Salix longifolia. Tessaria borealis. Baccharis coerulescens. 
Baccharis salicina. Malvastrum Marrubioides. Datura meteloides. 
Cucurbita Californica. Xanthium Strumarium. Sueda diffusa. 
Panicum crusqalii. Chloris alba. Allionia incarnata. 
Populus monilifera. | Tygodesmia. Cercidium floridum. 
Daiea spinosa. Chilopsis linearis. | Krameria parvifolia. 
For the purpose of elucidation, the entire region comprised between Stone’s Ferry, 
Nevada, and the river mouth in Mexico has been divided into section-sketches, as fol- 
lows: Ist, Section of Sione’s Ferry ; 2a, Section of Cottonwood Island; 3d, Section of Mo- 
have; 4th, Section of Aubrey ; 5th, Section of Lhrenberg; 6th, Section of Yuma; 7th, 
Section of the mouth, together with a sketch of a section of the general valley, showing what 
may be considered a fair average of the vegetation and wooded area, together with an 
attempt at demonstrating the gradual formation and washing away of the bottom- 
lands and the general conformation and aspect of the surrounding country. 
APPENDIX. 
Table of rainfall at Fort Buford, Dakota, from August, 1866, to November, 1877. 
} 
Month. | 1866. 1867. | 1868. | 1869. | 1870. | 1871. | 1872. | 1873. | 1874. | 1875. | 1876. | 1877. 
Vetrtusthys wens & 9s 5 | eres | SPiae OG uesees: SI Qa 76h Ga le ator) 07 13 31 
iy 2] frye a (eee eee EES ES |} .13 38 Sh. |iics 39 eneece 4; 354/020) 1.12 122.5228 
st NS SAP Cane ae Geese | ain] oro) Son) Seo 73) .O9Ne aid 
Appa . See eps he | O35 | eect b ea) [Leo .45|1.55]1.95| .15)1.83| .10} .13 
BY once esse eoeseaec alee a 42 | 1.79 | 1.78 | 3.91 | 2.43 | 1.12 | 6.60 | 1.80] 1.39] 4.00] 4.48 
Siri (Sep oa ens Me WR a Ee 1.97 | 3.21] .86] .77] .90] 1.75 | 2.73] 1.02 | 3.46] 1.75] 2.04 
tis eee oe ee ee ae eee 2.94 | 1.97] 1.62] .76| .55°'}| 2.45 |_..... a7 a ai ae sg ee | “* 80 
Anant: eerste. ss 1.20] .54/ 2.39] .97] .81] .10] 1.45 | 1.40] 2.26 | 3.05} 3.95 ]...... 
September......--.-..---| .20] .10 |, .26] 2.47 | .45|....-. 3.25 | 1.10] .25] .43 85 
Co eee ay Se tr ares Ae es eer 1595) Weta eS eesdoil 518 |) <4 1.20 
November <-22----__-_--. jn---- -oL} 13) .55] .03 | 1.20 | 1.04 |...... 83] .20] .21 }...... 
Doecemberiey : s222 24252-2258 Bealls) SU 2752 ER BT See SO RESTS eee 
