30 



in the southern watershed, which is 4,205 feet high. 

 The lower watershed, which extends through 

 Schoharie, Greene, Ulster, Sullivan and Delaware 

 counties, contains fifty-nine mountains wdiich are over 

 3,000 feet high. Of these, thirty-seven are of the 

 height of 3,500 feet and upward, and of an average 

 height of 3,728 feet. 



Including this immense tract is what is generally 

 known as the Southern Catskill range, contained within 

 an area of perhaps thirty miles in length and twent)^ 

 miles in breadth. 



Fourteen mountains in this range are from 3,571 

 feet to 4,205 feet in height, the average height being 

 3,747 feet. 



These mountains are covered with nothing but hard 

 wood— beech, birch, maple and balsam. The axe has 

 never touched these trees except to provide an 

 occasional camp for some benighted bear hunter or lost 

 angler, and examination shows that these trees are of 

 immense age. 



The hemlock which formerly abounded in this 

 region and has been used so largely for tanning pur- 

 poses has, with but few exceptions, been cut entirely, 

 or almost entire!)', from the valleys which are from 

 2,000 feet to 2,500 feet below these mountain peaks. 

 It has not abounded nor has it been cut anywhere 

 within many miles of the sources of the largest of the 

 streams which rise in this mountain range. 



In this ranoe the followinir noted trout streams have 

 their source, the laro-est ones, thouofh runnino- in 

 opposite directions, having their sources very close to 

 each other, viz.: the Beaverkill, Neversink, Rondout, 

 Willewemoc, Esopus, Dry Brook and Millbrook. 



For the purpose of calling attention to certain 

 facts in regard to these streams I will first select the 



