40 FOREST RESERVES IN IDAHO. 



The species of tree fit for commercial uses are ])ull pine, lodgepole 

 pine, red fir, Engelmann spruce, and blue spruce. 



Open i^arks comprise only about 1 per cent of the area of the pro- 

 posed reserve. These are almost altogether in the narrow strip of 

 land east of the main Sawtooth Range and bordering on the Stanley 

 Basin country. The purpose of including these parks in the reserve 

 was to furnish sufficient grazing ground for the animals of campers 

 and pleasure seekers about the Redfish lakes, and to prevent sheep 

 from coming uncontrolled around the lakes and polluting the inune- 

 cliate shores. A few open parks occur in the northern part, as parts 

 of Bear Valley and Deadwood Basin. 



Mining is the most important industry within the proposed reserve. 

 Because of the high elevation there can never be extensive agricul- 

 tural development, and in consequence irrigation and water supply 

 can not be vital questions, as they are at the present time on the lower 

 portions of the river to the south and west of the contemplated reserve. 

 The protection of the watersheds to the east and north of them is of the 

 greatest importance to these rich irrigated regions. Already the 

 destruction of the timber on the hills and valleys by lumbering, fires, 

 and grazing has caused a decrease in the amount of the average annual 

 flow of the streams through the summer. This decrease is being most 

 injuriously felt along the lower Boise and Payette rivers, and unless 

 some protection is given to the watersheds very soon great loss will 

 result to the irrigation interests. If the snow can be retained in the 

 hills until late in summer, through the presence of a forest cover, 

 and the snow water given oif slowly to the springs and streams, the 

 rivers will retain an even flow and proper supplies can be ol)tained 

 for irrigation purposes. Onl}^ through a forest cover can these per- 

 manent conditions of water supph^ be maintained. In a few cases 

 w^ater from the rivers and creeks is being used for placer-mining 

 work, but this is limited to the immediate valleys and does not tend 

 to decrease the total flow of the streams. It Avas not contem])lated 

 that the use of water for placer-mining work shall be interfered with. 



There are a few settlements and squatters' claims, and these are 

 confined largely to level flats along the streams and rivers. Only two- 

 tenths of 1 per cent, or 1.200 acres, haA'e been entered as homesteads, 

 and these are still pending final proof. Many attempts at farming 

 have been made in different parts of this proposed reserve, but so 

 unsuccessful that even if the reserve should not be made and the land 

 should be left open for homestead entry, very few, if any, of such 

 claims will be taken. There are no incorporated cities or villages in 

 the entire area of the proposed reserve, and but one post-office and 

 that at Atlanta. The proposed area lies A^ery largely in Boise, 

 Elmore, and Blaine counties, there being but small strips of territory 

 in Idaho and Custer counties. The population of Boise County is 

 A^ery largely in the towns of Larclo, Roseberry, Center, Crawford. 

 Vanw^yck, SAveet, Idaho City, Placerville, and Centerville, none of 

 which towns are within the boundary of the proposed reserA^e. A 

 A^ery large portion of the population of Elmore County liA^e at 

 Rockybar, Mountainhome, Glenns Ferry, and the toAvns along Snake 

 RiA^er, all of Avhich are south of the reserAT. The population of 

 Blaine County is at Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, and the toAvns south- 

 Avard along the railroad. In Idaho County there are no settlements 



