32 



On the St Mary's River, close to the boundary, Dr. G. M. Dawson saw 

 Pinus contorta in some abundance, but not of large size. 



Towards the heads of other branches of Belly River, Col. McLeod 

 says, " good Pine is found on the slopes of the mountains and for some- 

 distance from their base, while Cottonwood trees of good size grow along 

 the river bottoms." 



While in the mountains at Bow River in 1879, 1 made a careful exami- 

 nation of the timber in the valley, as far as time would permit. The 

 principal species were Douglas Pine and beautiful Spruce, the latter 

 growing tall and straight and forming groves on the flats. The other 

 species preferred the rocky slopes, and were often of a large size, numbers 

 being seen three feet in diameter. Fine groves of timber were observed 

 on the south side of the Bow River, from the mouth of the Kananaskis 

 up its pass and over the mountains between the two rivers. From the 

 situation of the timber, I believe it to be principally Douglas Pine. I 

 was informed that much finer timber could be seen higher up the river. 

 By being carefully husbanded there is enough timber on the river and its 

 tributaries to supply all the prairie country as far as the Elbow of the 

 South Saskatchewan. All the water-power necessary to convert it into 

 lumber exists close to Morley ville. The river is so placid for its whole 

 length that the lumber could be rafted to any point without loss. 



In the Pheasant and File Hills, and throughout the Touchwood Hills, 

 as also a tract of country lying east of Humboldt, there is abundance of 

 wood for the prairie settlers for many miles on all sides of the hills. This 

 wood is Poplar of two species, and can bo used in house building for 

 walls, roofs and floors. 



West of the Saskatchewan the Eagle Hills will furnish a supply for the 

 northern part of the Great Plain. Battle River, throughout its entire 

 length, will supply wood for all purposes to the country on both sides of 

 it Spruce in some abundance can be obtained on its upper waters and 

 floated down to any required point. Red Deer River passes through a 

 country more or less covered with forest, as far south as lat 52, but, 

 after that, to its confluence with Bow River, the only wood in the country 

 it passes through is found in its own valley, or its bordering coulees. 

 This is so small in quantity, in comparison to the district to be supplied, 

 that it need merely to be mentioned, but not taken into account No 

 doubt large quantities of Spruce exist on the upper waters of the river, 

 and can be floated down to any point on the stream. There are no 

 obstructions of any kind anywhere in the river, but on the lower part of 

 its course it would be extremely difficult to get loaded waggons out of the 

 valley which is not loss than 500 feet deep. 



Bow River, on the other hand, does not flow through forest on any 

 part of its course east of the mountains, yet it contains many fine groves 

 of Poplar from a few miles below the Blackfoot Crossing to the moun- 

 tains, both in its valley and the coulees opening into it Balsam Poplar 

 and Cottonwood (Populus monilifera) are found of a large size at the 

 Blackfoot Crossing, and numerous groves of Spruce are seen above Cal- 



