572 THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



supplying more tban the local wants of its wining population. The great plains south and southeast of the 

 Salmon Elver mountains, comprising fully one-lhirtl of the territory, are entirely destitute of tree covering, while 

 the Snake Kiver range and the ranges of the Bear IMver country contain in their more sheltered caiions only small 

 areas of open, stunted forest. 



During the census year 21,000 acres of woodland were reported destroyed by fire, with an estimated loss of 

 $202,000. These fires originated in the carelessness of hunters, prospectors, Indians, etc. 



A small amount of i>ine and fir lumber is manufactured at Bois^ City and near other centers of population. 

 The great forests of cedar, fir, and pine, however, in the Cceur d'Al^ne region are still almost intact. These forests, 

 with proper care, are capable of furnishing indefinitely the treeless agricultural region of eastern Washington 

 territory and Oregon with an abundant supply of excellent building material. 



The following extracts are made from Mr. Sereno Watson's report upon the forests of the territory: 



"This territory north of latitude 44^ is occupied by the Rocky and the Bitter Root mountains, forming its 

 eastern boundary, with their broad, timbered, interlaciug spurs, which terminate in the high, mostly treeless 

 plateau which extends from near the Spokane river in a southeasterly direction to this parallel of latitude. The 

 southern and southwestern portions were not visited by me, and the statements regarding them are to some extent 

 conjectural. 



" Lemhi county (5,530 square miles). In the extreme eastern portion of this county, where the mountains 

 are crossed by the Utah and Northern railroad, scattered trees of red fir are first met at an altitude of G,000 feet. 

 Beaver canon, up which the railroad passes, is well timbered on both sides nearly to its head at G,G00 feet altitude 

 with red fir only, but the broad plateau at the summit (6,869 feet) is treeless. In the lateral caiions (8 to 10 miles 

 long), coming out near the mouth of Beaver canon, there are two saw-mills, one of which was visited. The timber 

 was here found to be confined to the south side of the caQon, and consisted almost wholly of red fir (here called 

 'red pine'), averaging from 20 to 22 inches in diameter. The largest log seen measured 32 inches at the butt. A 

 'white pine' proved to be Picea Engelmanni, and a ' bird's eye pine' was Pinus Murrayanttj both small, as was also 

 the balsam {Ahies subalpina), which was found some 3 or 4 miles up the cafion. The yellow pine did not occur here. 



" It is probable that the caiions westward along the range are similarly timbered as far as the Lemhi agency. 

 Here the character of the range changes (as stated under Beaver Head county, Montana), becoming higher and 

 more rugged, and the Pinvs Murrayana is probably more abundant, at least at the higher altitudes. The yellow 

 pine also appears, but at what point is uncertain; it is certainly found at Gibbonsville, on the North Fork of the 

 Salmon river, and it probably extends still farther southward. The Salmon River mountains, lying between the 

 Lemhi river and Rock creek, are reported to be well timbered. The southwestern portion of the county I presume 

 to be much more open. 



"The total timbered area is estimated at from 1,500 to 2,000 square miles. 



"Idaho county (10,100 square miles). The high and crowded spurs of the Bitter Root mountains fill the 

 entire northeastern portion of this county, extending to the line of the South Fork of the Clearwater, mostly densely 

 wooded from base to summit. The foot-hills and plateaus between the streams are more or less covered with 

 scattered yellow pine and red fir. The valley of the Salmon river is probably comparatively treeless, and the low 

 mountain range between that river and the Snake is scantily timbered. 



"Estimated timber area, 4,000 square miles. 



" Washington county (3,000 square miles). I have but little information in regard to this county. The 

 southern portion has been surveyed, and is probably nearly treeless. The rest appears to be more mountainous, 

 and may be scantily timbered. 



"Wooded area (say) 300 square miles. 



"Nez Perc6 county (3,400 square miles). Mainly high plateau, at about 3,000 feet altitude, in the 

 southeast more or less covered with scattered yellow pine and red fir of good size, on the western side nearly 

 without timber or with occasional yellow pine. Toward the head of Potluck creek some yellow pine and red 

 fir are found in the valleys, and in the northeast the spurs from the Rocky mountains enter the county, covered 

 in addition with the larch and Thuya giganfea. East of the Indian reservation the county extends up into the 

 mountains in the form of a narrow gore, and is heavily timbered. The jjortion lying south of the reservation in 

 the angle between the Snake and Salmon rivers is occupied by low mountains, mostlj' bare. 



"Total timbered area estimated at 750 square miles. 



" Shoshone county (5,950 square miles). Wholly mountainous and covered with forests, with the exception, 

 of some prairies and open country near the Clearwater and lower portion of the Lolo Fork. 



"Immediately after crossing the divide by the Lolo trail from Montana, at an altitude of 0,000 feet, the forest 

 consisted of Abies subalpina and Picea Engelmanni, with young Abies graniUs and Tsuga Mertcnsiana, and occasional 

 larch and red fir, and upon the creeks some small Thuya and Taxus. The trail soon ascended the ridges and 

 followed them for about 100 miles at an altitude of from 5,000 to over 7,000 feet, doubtless to avoid the fallen 

 timber which made the caiions impassable, though enough of it was found on the route followed. The timber on 

 these ridges was often small and scattered A Wes- subalpina and Picea Engelmanni, with Pinvs Murrayana and P. 

 alhicaulisoT on the damper northern slopes with larch and red fir, balsam, hemlock, and sometimes the mountain 



