GENERAL FOREST ASPECTS 93 



now known to the Forest Service in that locality and as the con- 

 ditions would seem to be so unlike those of its usual habitat, it 

 would seem that Leiberg's report is in error on this point. Engel- 

 marm spruce and Douglas spruce are common trees throughout 

 the section in their particular zones. Though the latter is lim- 

 ited to a lower belt, the former is found as low as 6000 feet and 

 from there up to timber line. 



The next is the Bearpaw Section (No. 12) including for the 

 most part the Bearpaw Mountains and the Sweetgrass Hills, 

 with altitudes of 6000, 7000 and 8000 feet respectively. These 

 have scant forests of lodgepole and yellow pines, and Douglas 

 spruce. Two junipers (J. Sabiua and J. communis) occur in 

 this region. This section covers about 20,000 square miles, ex- 

 tending along the northern boundary about 200 miles and south- 

 ward about 100. It embraces a good deal of the Missouri Valley 

 and the upper sources of the Milk River, besides portions of the 

 drainage of the Marias and the Teton. It is mostly prairie with 

 elevation ranging from 3000-4000 feet. The forests where pres- 

 ent are found mainly above 5000 feet. 



The Snowy Section (No. 13) is occupied mainly by the 

 Snowy Mountains and the sources of the Musselshell River. 

 Some of the peaks of the Snowy Range rise to an altitude of 8000 

 feet. They are in fact the farthest outpost of the high mountains 

 in Montana east of the main Rockies. They, like the Crazy 

 Mountains and the Belts, are forested only above 5000-6000 feet. 



Only four species are here conspicuously represented. These 

 are: 



Pinus contort a - 76. % 



" ponderosa - 13.5 



Picea Engelmannii 6.5 



. Pseudotsi(ga taxifolia " 4. 



These figures, however, are for area covered and not for 

 volume. It is probable also that Abies lasiocarpa, Pinus albi- 

 caulis, Juniperus scopulorum, J. communis and J. Sabina are 

 sparingly represented. 



The 14th, or Bighorn Section, covers a few forested areas 

 in southeastern Montana. Various southern affluents of the 

 Yellowstone, including the Bighorn and Powder rivers drain 

 these hills which reach altitudes from 3000-3800 feet. Here also 



