THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 565 



the north by the irregularly-broken country which lies north of the Spokane river and of that portion of the 

 Columbia which has a westerly course in the same latitude, and on the west by the Cascade range, while on the 

 south the circuit is less completely closed by the somewhat complicated system known as the Blue and Salmon 

 River mountains. 



" With the exception of a single county (Beaver Head) in Montana this entire region is drained by the Columbia 

 river, since the Eocky Mountain divide, or the main central divide between the headwaters of the Columbia and of 

 the Missouri, forms the boundary between Idaho and Montana only as far north "as 45 40', when it turns abruptly 

 eastward for 75-jniles and then again northwestward to the British boundary in continuation of the line of the 

 Wind Eiver mountains of Wyoming. 



"As will be seen from the detailed account which is to follow, the general character of the forest growth 

 throughout this region is remarkably uniform, both in the kinds of trees found and in their manner of distribution. 

 The trees of the most constant occurrence and that form the mass of the forests generally are, first, the red fir 

 (Pseudotsuga Douglani) and yellow pine {Pimis ponderosa), gradually giving place at higher altitudes to Picea 

 Engelmanni and Aiies subalpina or Pinus Murriiyana; while of only somewhat less extended range, though 

 sometimes more local in their distribution, are the larch (Larix occidentalis), cedar {Thuya gigantea), the white pine 

 (Pinus monticola), the hemlocks (Tsuga Mcrtensiana and, less frequently, Tsuga Pattoniana), Abies grandis, and the 

 balsam poplars. Abies amabilis only is confined to the Cascade mountains. No other species occur of sufiicient 

 size to be of importance as timber trees. 



"In order to indicate more particularly the extent and distribution of the tree growth, the territories will be 

 taken up in order by counties, and an estimate given of the area covered in each, though necessarily of the actual 

 density of growth and amount of available timber (varying from square mile to square mile, and much of it never 

 seen) no estimate can be given of such probably approximate accuracy as to be of any value whatever: 



" MONTANA. 



" Beaver Head county (4,230 square miles). This county, nearly equally divided by the one hundred and 

 thirteenth meridian, is surrounded on three sides, north, south, and west, by the Eocky mountains, and is divided 

 into two portions by a lofty spur which sets oflf in a northeasterly direction from the middle of the western side. 

 The valleys of Beaver Head river and Eed Rock creek to the east and south of this spur are treeless, except that 

 the latter stream is bordered with a considerable growth of Populus angustifolia, often 60 feet high and a foot or two 

 in diameter. The region to the east is scantily supplied with timber of any kind, while the northern flanks of the 

 Eocky Mountain range as far as the head of Horse Plains creek are only sparingly timbered on the ridges and in 

 some of the caiions, the trees small and mainly red fir, with some Pinus albicauUs, the summits and exposed ridges 

 wholly bare. 



" The broad dividing spur, which includes Bald mountain and several other peaks from 10,000 to 11,000 feet high, 

 is abont 30 miles in length by 20 in breadth. The peaks are bare above 9,000 feet, and the western slopes have some 

 timber in the upper ravines alone. The trees at 7,000 feet are mainly red fir, giving place above to a small growth 

 of Pinus Murrayana and P. albieattlis. On the eastern side of the spur there are deep, densely- wooded valleys, the 

 timber said to be chiefly red fir, Picea Engelmanni and Pinus Murrayana. On Eattlesnake creek in this region 

 there is a single saw-mill, 12 miles from Bannock City, which sui)plies the town and neighboring mining camps with 

 lumber. When a better quality is needed it is brouglit across the mountains from the Lemhi Eiver district in Idaho 

 by a road crossing the range at the head of Horse Plains creek. The fuel used in Bannock City is hauled some 

 12 or 15 miles, chiefly from the Eockj' mountains. Beyond the head of Horse Plains creek (where the Bald Mountain 

 spur commences) the range for about 40 miles changes in character greatly, becoming higher, broader, and more 

 rocky, with rugged, snow-clad peaks from 10,000 to 12,000 feet high, and with high, rocky spurs to the east, separating 

 densely-wooded valleys difiicult of access and rarely visited. The forests here come down to the western edge of 

 Big Hole valley, and are continuous. The trees are said to be largely Pinus Murrayana, hat there is probably a 

 considerable proportion of red fir, Picea Engelmanni and Abies subalpina. The range now takes its turn to the east, 

 forming the northern line of the county, and rises again into some high, snowy p'-aks, but is much less densely 

 wooded. Where the pass crosses the range from the Big Hole valley to the Bitter Eoot, the prevalent tree is found 

 to be Pimis Murrayana, mixed toward the summit of the divide (at 7,000 feet altitude) with some red fir and a small 

 proportion of Picea Engelmanni and Pinus albicauUs. The trees are mostly young and small, evidently frequently 

 overrun by fires, a dense new growth immediately in most cases replacing the old. The trunks very rarely reached 

 a diameter of 15 of 20 inches. The timbered area of the county may be estimated at 1,000 square miles. No yellow 

 pine was seen or heard of within its limits. 



"Deer Lodge county (0,500 square miles). This county, also nearly bisected by the one hundred and thirteenth 

 meridian, is occupied by spurs of the Eocky mountains, which form its southern and eastern border, with the 

 intervening open valleys of Deer Lodge river, Flint creek, and Big Blackfoot river. These spurs are to a large 

 extent wholly bare of trees, only some of the ravines and ridges being covered by a more or less scattered growth 

 of yellow pine and red fir of moderate size, and the higher northern slopes by a denser growth of Pinus Murrayana. 

 North of the Big Blackfoot the timber is more dense, coming down into the valley, and consisting principally of 



