.570 THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



base of the Wahsatch mountains has been stripped of tbe available timber, so that in the accessible canons, 

 especially in the neighborhood of settlements, it is laborious and expensive obtaining posts and poles for fencing, 

 to say nothing of smooth planks, etc., for building. Cottonwood and occasionally box-elder are found fringing 

 the river bottoms of the sections described. 



" The Oquirrh mountains, on the east of Toocle county, and the Onaqui mountains, 30 miles west, contain cedar 

 and considerable red fir, the latter a tree which I am told is not frequent in the Wahsatch range. The mining camps of 

 Salt Lake and Tooele counties have largely depleted the timber areas of these mountains. More timber is standing 

 on the Onaqui hills than on the Oquirrh range. From the vicinity of the latter to Cottonwood and Bingham Canon 

 mining districts the dearth of good fencing material is very noticeable throughout Box Elder, Cache, Eich, Weber, 

 Morgan, and Salt Lake counties. Willow withes, stone walls, cottonwood poles, and sod walls flanked by ditches 

 .are among the devices for barriers against stock incursion, all pointing to the lack and costliness of lumber. 



"LAKE RANGE, WEST OP UTAH LAKE. This range of low mountains contains scattered black balsam and red 

 fir. In winter this range is visited from the settlements of Utah valley, and the trees felled and sledded across the 

 lake on the ice, to be used by the railroad and by farmers. No pifion pine was found in the Oquirrh or Onaqui 

 mountains. 



"The San Pitch mountains, in latitude 39 30', longitude 111 52', contain sparse timber a so-called white pine 

 (Finns JJexilis), scrubby cedar, and some other evergreen trees at a high elevation and unavailable as lumber. No 

 good clear planking suitable for building is obtained from these cuts. 



"The low ranges west of Juab valley and flanking Dog valley, Dry valley, and Ferner valley, in latitude 39 

 30', longitude 112, contain stiaggling cedar and some red fir difficult of access. The timber of the whole region 

 north of latitude 39 and west of the main Wahsatch mountains is meager and inadequate for the purposes of the 

 Mormon settlers. 



"Fencing about Salt Lake City is of poor construction and costs $200 per mile of pine poles and cedar posts. 

 I saw some posts of white balsam (Abies concolor) 50 feet long, obtained from the canons of the San Pitch range, 

 used for fencing. At Springville, in Utah valley, posts of cedar were pointed out which were in good condition 

 after fourteen years standing. Were it not for the existence of the 'no-fence' law, which enables a farmer to 

 cultivate unfeiiced ground and claim damages from incursions of stock, the Utah farmer would be very badly off, not 

 having means to purchase fencing material in a country so ill supplied with timber. The cedar which abounds 

 here affords a lasting supply of fire- wood and posts, but lor poles or plank the region depends largely upon imported 

 lumber, especially for building plank, joists, etc. 



"Upon ranges flanking East and West Tiutic valleys, Juab county, in latitude 39 50', longitude 112 30', the 

 timber is not abundant; it consists of red fir and black and white balsam, from which rough lumber for the mining 

 camps of Mammoth, Tintic, and Silver City has been extensively taken. Cedar of the usual dwarfed kind grows 

 abundantly along the upper slopes of the foot-hills, and is used for braces and posts in shafts of mines. 



" SANPETE VALLEY RANGE (longitude 111 30', latitude 39 20'). The Wahsatch mountains, on the east of 

 Sanpete valley, carry on their spurs and through the deep canons facing the valley some of the best timber found 

 in Utah. It is largely used by the Sanpete settlers. Yellow pine, black and white balsam, red fir, cedar, and 

 poplar constitute the varieties of trees found. The yellow pine, less abundant now in accessible canons, furnishes, 

 it is claimed, a clear and firm lumber, fit for building, and not surpassed by any variety in Utah. The range west 

 of the Sanpete mountains i. c , the San Pitch mountains before spoken of carries on its eastern slopes and canons 

 considerable balsam of both varieties and some red fir and poplar about the headwaters of creeks. Little yellow 

 pine is found on the San Pitch range ; at least, none is taken out at present, although I was told considerable had 

 already been lumbered from such canons as were penetrable. Fencing of cedar posts and poplar and balsam poles 

 is largely used iu the valley ; cedar posts and pine plank are also used in fencing meadows and fields. In no other 

 valley of Utah are the Mormons so well supplied,'apparently, with fair lumber of native growth. Except for furniture 

 and house trimmings, no imported wood is used here. 



"SEVIER RIVER MOUNTAINS (latitude 38 30' to 39 10', longitude 112). TheTushar mountains and the Valley 

 range, on the. west of the Sevier valley, are supplied with meager timber, especially the Valley range. In no part 

 of Utah have I noticed so few and so limited areas inclosed. Timber is said to exist in inaccessible places only 

 on the Wahsatch range to the east of the valley. This is true in regard to the ranges west of the Sevier valley, 

 where the character of the tree growth is inferior to even the average poor quality of Utah forests. Black balsam, 

 white balsam and red fir grow in both ranges, but are approached with great difficulty. The indigenous scrub 

 cedar prevails often in thick groves along the foot-hills, especially on the Valley and Tushar ranges to the west of 

 the valley. Several saw-mills at the mouths of canon streams on the East Wahsatch range have for several years 

 worked up all the available lumber, but the prices asked for lumber from $35 to $45 per 1,000 feet place fencing 

 material beyond the reach of the Sevier farmer. 



" All the way up the Sevier valley, and along its south and east forks, fencing is limited and lumber high, a 

 sure proof of the inadequate supply of trees on accessible mountains. 



" Fish Lake plateau and mountains (latitude 38 33', longitude 111 50') contain a considerable quantity of the 

 prevailing timber of Utah, as do also Thousand Springs mountains. 



