Southeastern Washington and Adjacent Idaho. 95 



present in greater or lesser abundance were Potentilla sp., Mitella 

 stauropetala (abundant), Leptotaenia multifida, Disporum ma jus, 

 Moehringia macrophylla, Coptis occidentalis, Viola spp., two 

 species of Lathyrus, and Vicia sp. 



It is of interest here to note that in spite of the terrific heat 

 which must have prevailed over those mountain slopes, except 

 where the undergrowth was dense, a considerable depth of humus 

 remained intact. Where this was wholly consumed and the soil 

 had been washed bare by rains there was a fairly complete turf 

 of F unarm and Marchantia along with certain herbaceous plants 

 already given. The effects of this forest fire were more pro- 

 found in certain parts of the forest than in others, depending 

 somewhat upon the topography of the devastated region. In the 

 " draws " or small lateral canyons where growth conditions were 

 such as to produce the most excellent stand of white pine, Douglas 

 fir, white fir, and cedar, the fire was most destructive, leaving no 

 trees alive. Whereas, on lateral or secondary ridges it was fre- 

 quently observed that from 25 to 75 per cent, of these species, in- 

 cluding yellow pine, survived the heat. These constituted the 

 seed trees so valuable in the reforestation now going forward. 



A diligent search was made for any seedlings of the cone- 

 bearing trees characteristic of the region under observation, and 

 a few were found. A limited number of these (all were Larix 

 occidentalis} were from seed germinated in 1911, but the majority 

 were but a few weeks old at the time of observation. They were 

 indeed scarce not more than 60-80 per acre on north and east 

 slopes and none at all on south and southeast or southwest ex- 

 posures. In two instances it was observed that as many as 15-20 

 seedlings were growing in one spot as though a cone had become 

 planted and all its viable seeds had germinated. The area in- 

 vestigated seemed to show no signs of any other conifer, which 

 fact corroborates observations of a similar nature made in cer- 

 tain denuded sections of Thatuna Hills. However, by the fall 

 of the same year, many seedlings of Thuja, Larix, Pseudotsuga, 

 and a few of Abies had sprung into existence. 



It is probable that some of these seeds were furnished by 

 scattered surviving parent trees in the vicinity, although it is 



95 



