I02 ENGELMANN SPRUCE TYPE 



Portable mills are the rule and they are placed as near the tim- 

 ber as possible. This is why the cost of getting the logs into the 

 mill is low. But this is offset by the distance from market. A 

 mill set up near the head of a timbered gulch may be close to its 

 source of raw material but there is always a long haul to the rail- 

 road or the ranches in the valley beneath. Hence the sale value 

 at the mill was seldom more than $15 per M in 191 5 for the 

 log run and commonly less. This left a possible margin for 

 stumpage and profit of $8.50. This was the maximum. The 

 average was nearer $5 per M, nor could this be materially in- 

 creased by the sale of firewood. The tops and slabs will seldom 

 pay for salvaging. Aspen is the only good fire wood in the type. 



The costs in man hours and horse hours will average as follows: 



Man hours Horse hotirs 



Felling and bucking 3 



Skidding to mill 3^ 4I 



Milling 3§ 



10 4i 



No appreciable difference exists in the average sale value per 

 M of the log run of the different species, because they are all 

 used for the same purpose — rough construction. Of course there 

 is variation in the durability and workability of the species for 

 different purposes. For example, no one would use a spruce 

 barn sill if a Douglas fir one could be obtained, but the difference 

 in durabiHty would amount to only a few dollars per M and per- 

 haps be offset by the greater usefulness of spruce for other pur- 

 poses. The fact remains that nearly all the species fouad in the 

 Engelmann spruce type can be used interchangeably in the uses 

 for which they are desired provided the sizes are right. 



Land Values. — Since tillage is out of the question on Engel- 

 mann spruce land it has value only for the production of timber, 

 occasionally for grazing, the protection of water supplies, and for 

 scenery. For the first purpose it is not an attractive investment 

 for the private individual because the rigorous climate inhibits 

 rapid growth and the yields are therefore low in spite of the 

 density of the stands. This very density reduces its value for 

 grazing because grass and herbs do not find sunlight enough for 



