286 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



being carried outside the sack. Here I met Mr. John Martin, a pio- 

 neer of Franklin Gulch, who is noted throughout the Fortymile 

 country for his hospitality. 



The South Fork at Franklin Gulch is neither as deep nor as swift as 

 the main stream of the Fortymile. At Steele Creek we and our goods 

 were ferried across, the horses swimming the stream; but here the 

 horses could wade without difficulty. 



Leaving Franklin Gulch on the morning of September 14, we trav- 

 eled in a southwest direction toward the Upper South Fork. The 

 change in direction of the South Fork, from a northeast to a straight 

 north course, occurs several miles above Franklin Gulch at a point 

 where Walkers Fork comes into the South Fork. From the high 

 points on the trail we could see that above this junction of Walker's 

 and South Fork both of these streams flow through comparatively 

 wide valleys. Along each of these streams is a considerable strip of 

 grass land, close to the stream. In general the grass is distributed on 

 both banks, but it may be mostly on one side or the other, according 

 to the winding of the stream across the valley. These strips of grass 

 land, not more than a quarter of a mile across at the lower end, widen 

 with the valley as you go upstream. After about 10 miles of hill 

 lands the trail leads to a somewhat low rolling country, with gradual 

 slopes. There is a dark sandy loam here, some three inches deep, 

 with a clay sutesoil that prevents good drainage, and in consequence 

 there is much water on the surface. This is a good grazing country. 

 The timber, which is mostly ^spruce and of good size, is not of dense 

 growth. 



During the afternoon we passed close to a bend of the South Fork, 

 which is on our left, and for some distance through a very fine patch 

 of redtop, growing close to the stream. 



On the evening of the 14th we crossed a small stream called Gold 

 Creek, and stopped for the night at the mail cabin at this place. Gold 

 Creek flows through a valley, the soil of which is largely made up of 

 disintegrated granite. Creek gravel is found in different places on 

 the lower land, an indication that the stream is not always confined 

 within the low banks. Very fine specimens of spruce and cottonwood 

 are growing here. The mail cabin, which is roomy and well made, 

 was built for Mr. Fish by an Indian. 



Next morning, the 15th, we traveled for several miles over a some- 

 what heavily timbered country, mostly spruce, and having a limestone 

 soil. About 10 a. m. we passed from the timber to a grass covered 

 level plain, having a sand} T soil. The grass land is about 8 miles 

 across at this point, increasing in width as you go upstream of South 

 Fork of the Fortymile. There are some small patches of "nigger 

 heads " (bunches of swamp grass which year by year form a compact 

 tuft of roots that is several inches above the original level), but 



