I 9 04 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 169 



which estimates of cost will be based, solved and works constructed that will 

 Probably 100 men in all are engaged in give satisfactory results. Probably the 

 these engineering parties, and it is hoped greatest opportunities in the Southwest 

 that this work will be so far advanced for very extensive irrigation develop- 

 that a definite report may be made dur- meht lie along this great stream. The 

 ing the coming summer. The Yuma volume of the available water supply, 

 Indian Reservation on the California the area of the irrigable lands, the fer- 

 side, under existing laws, may be thrown tility of the soil, and the character of 

 open to entry when the lands are irri- the climate, all point to a very great 

 gated, and allotments of five acres made development. The district would be 

 to Indians now residing thereon. On tributary in trade to the towns of 

 the Arizona side there is a considerable southern California and is believed to 

 area of public land that can be reclaimed, offer probably the greatest latent re- 

 and a large amount which is now either source back of the coast district. Reser- 

 entirely arid or partially irrigated in voir sites of large capacity have been 

 private holdings can be benefited. found in the upper portions of this 

 The engineering problems on the stream to supplement the low stages of 

 Colorado River are difficult and proba- the river, which fortunately occur in 

 bly among the most complex that will mid-winter. The locality, however, is 

 be encountered in the arid region, what may be termed a " twelve-months 

 There is no reason for believing, how- country ' one that can be farmed con- 

 ever, that they cannot be favorably tinuously throughout the year. 



THE SOUTH PART OF PIKE'S PEAK FOREST 



RESERVE. 



INTERESTING NOTES ON FIRE CONDITIONS, WATER 

 CONSERVATION AND MOUNTAIN TIMBER IN COLORADO. 



BY 



JACOB C. BLUMER, 



BUREAU OF FORESTRY. 



THAT part of the Pike's Peak For- The geologic feature is a coarse, pink, 



est Reserve lying south of the rapidly disintegrating granite. Hardly 



Manitou and Pike's Peak Railroad, or another formation occurs except in the 



"Cog Road," embraces seventy-nine irregularly projecting southeast arm of 



square miles of the Rampart Range of the reserve, where a hard, gray granite, 



the Rockies in central Colorado. occasionally mixed with massive quartz, 



This tract extends through fully 7 . ooo predominates. 



feet of altitude. The vast, shadowy The paucity of the flora is noticeable, 



heights that form it rise abruptly out and yet the number of species on this 



of a great plain that lies at 6,500 feet comparatively small tract is surprisingly 



above sea-level, and culminate at 14, 147 large. The paradox explains itself when 



feet in Pike' s-Peak itself. All but a half one bears in mind the great variety of 



dozen square miles in the southwest por- altitudes, slopes, and aspects which 



tion, which approach an undulating pla- occur, each with a climate of its own. 



teau, is either extremely rugged, or The Cripple Creek gold-mining dis- 



steeply sloping in every direction, save trict, with its 35, ooo people, begins about 



a few ' ' parks ' ' or mountain meadows, five miles away in the mountains to the 



Illustrations, including frontispiece, through courtesy of the Bureau of Forestry, U. S. De- 

 partment of Agriculture. 



