TREES^ AND WEEDS 103 



then cut. Certain treeless areas apparently favorable for tree 

 growth are doubtless the result of former extensive fires. 



At present there are encouraging young growth of pine 

 (Pinus Scopulorum) upon most of the north facing slope in the 

 forest reserves, and locally elsewhere in the reserves. Ash 

 thickets have been of great value in furnishing fence posts. 

 There is still a considerable supply in the Sioux Reserve. Red 

 cedar is now quite rare in Harding County. The most extensive 

 thickets we noted were in the Bad Lands just east of the East 

 Short Pine Hills. Extensive cedar brakes occur in North Dakota 

 along the Little Missouri River a few miles north of the state line. 

 The remnant of what was formerly a very valuable supply of 

 cedar timber is found in Cedar Canyon, etc., on the south side of 

 the Moreau River a short distance southeast of our area. 



The only extensive groves of cottonwood in Harding county 

 are found in the Little Missouri Valley in Camp Crook. 



9. WEEDS. 



\Yeeds are not troublesome in Harding County. This is due 

 mainly to the dryness. The common weeds require more water 

 than is available. An additional fact is that as yet but few weeds 

 have been introduced and established because of the newness of 

 the region agriculturally. Fields almost perfectly free from 

 weeds are frequent. 



