570 THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



the foot, mostly yellow pine, but also red fir, some Larix, and small Thuya. The outlet to this lake is through a 

 deep cafiou, and is obstructed by falls and rapids. The Wenatchee flows through a more open valley, and, at '.east 

 in high water, could be used for floating timber to the Columbia. For 7 miles from its mouth the ridges on each 

 side are only scantily wooded, but from that point the trees (yellow pine and red fir, mostly young) occupy the 

 valley, and at 20 miles the thick timber begins pine, fir, red fir, larch, white pine (Pinus monticoln), and cedar, the 

 white pine sometimes 4 feet through, the cedar not large. 



"YAKIMA COUNTY (S,900 square miles). Immediately south of the Wenatchee the highest of the eastern spurs 

 of the Cascade mountains extends in a southeasterly direction to the Columbia, forcing that river to make a bend 

 eastward. This spur has an altitude of about 5,000 feet, and its higher northern slopes, overlooking the mouth of 

 the Wenatchee and eastward, are somewhat densely covered with pine, red fir, and larch. The southern slope, as 

 seen from Ellensburg, appeared nearly bare. I crossed the ridge about 17 miles above the mouth of the Wenatchee 

 and a few miles east of the high, exceedingly rocky, aud snow-covered peaks called by McClellau ' Mount Stuart'. 

 It was found mostly well wooded, but the trees not exceeding 1 or 2 feet in diameter, and usually small red fir and 

 yellow pine, with at length some Abies grandis and Pinus monticola, rarely a small Thuya, on the higher rocky 

 ridges small larches, and at the summit some Pinus Murrayana. The same trees were found on the southern 

 descent, excepting the Pinus monUcola. Large cottonwoods (Populux trldiomrpa) occurred on the creeks. South 

 of this range the spurs recede, leaving a comparatively level sage-brush region, wholly treeless, from 50 to 70 miles 

 broad, between the Columbia and Yakima, and crossing the lower portion of the latter river. 



"Below the mouth of the Schwank, which is at the head of what is known as ' Killitas valley', on the Yakima, 

 the foot-hills of the Cascade mountains extend to the Yakima river, a distance of about 50 miles from the summit 

 of the range; but the lower portions of these spurs are bare, or with only scattered pines on their northern slopes, 

 and the chief reliance of the settlers for fencing aud fuel is upon the aspens and cottonwoods bordering the streams. 

 Following up the Yakima from the mouth of the.Scliwank, the valley for 10 or 12 miles is thinly timbered with pine 

 and red fir. For 17 miles more there is some larch on the ridges, and in the bottoms some Abies grand is, and 

 rarely a small Thuya. Timber and ties had been extensively cut here for the railroad and floated down the river. 

 At this point the yellow pine and tamarack ceased, and a dense, heavy growth began aud continued for most of the 

 way to the summit (20 or 25 miles), consisting of red fir, hemlock, Alien (/nnidia and A. amdbilis (all these from 3 to 

 5 feet through and 200 feet high or more), Pinus monUcola (18 inches' through), and Thuya (2 feet in diameter). 

 One spruce, not over 2J feet through, had a height of 225 feet. 



" In like manner, upon the Nachess river, the open sage-brush country extended about 10 or 12 miles from its 

 mouth, with only cottonwood along the stream. Scattered pines then commence, with at length red fir, but it is 

 some 25 or 30 miles more before heavy timber is reached. A small grove of oak (tyuercus Garry ana) is found at 

 the mouth of the Schwank, the only point upon the Yakima where it occurs. It is also frequent along the Nachess 

 for 3 or 4 miles, commencing at about 12 miles from its mouth, but small and rarely over (i inches in diameter or 15 

 feet in height. In Satas valley it is abundant. Along the southern border of the county there is again a long 

 spur extending east from mount Adams to within about 40 miles of the mouth of the Yakima. This spur has an 

 altitude of about 1,500 feet, and is mostly covered with a scattered growth of yellow pine, red fir, aud Abies grandis. 



"The entire wooded area of the county may be estimated at about 4,500 square miles. 



" KLIKITAT COUNTY (2,300 square miles). The spur eastward from mount Adams, just spoken of, covers 

 much of the northern portion of this county and affords a good supply of excellent timber. The area may be 

 estimated at 750 square miles. The high ridge overlooking the Columbia from The Dalles eastward is perfectly 

 bare of trees." 



OREGON. 



The heavy forest of western Washington territory extends through western Oregon. The most valuable timber 

 tree of the regiou is the red or yellow fir (Pseudolsuga Douglasii), which forms fully seven-eighths of the forest. The 

 tide-land spruce (Picea Sitchensis) abounds along the coast, and the red cedar (Thuya giganlea) and the hemlock 

 (Tsuga Mcrtensiana) are common and of large size. South of Coos bay an important forest of Port Orford cedar 

 (Chamcecyparis Laicsoniana), mixed with the red fir and the tide-land spruce, occurs. 



The valleys of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue rivers contain an open, scattered growth of white oak 

 (Quercus Garryana], now gradually increasing by the recent growth of young trees protected from the fires which 

 formerly swept every season through these prairie-like valleys. South of the Rogue- Kiver valley the sugar pine 

 (Pinus Lambcrtiana), the chestnut oak (Quercus densiflora), and other trees of the California forest occur in 

 sufficient numbers to add economic value to the forests of the state. 



The bottom lauds of western Oregon are lined with a continuous growth of cottouwoods of immense size, 

 willows, maples, ashes, and gigantic alders ; those in the southwest, near the coast, contain great bodies of splendid 

 card maple (Acer macrophyllum) aud laurel ( Umbellularia Californica). 



East of the Cascade mountains the forests are confined to the mountain ranges ; they are open, scattered, and 

 generally composed of comparatively small trees. 



