102 PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 



The land is sandy, sandstone cropping out on the higher points. 



Before the settlement of Colorado there was an extensive body of timber 

 in this locality. Denver, Pueblo and Colorado Springs were built from timber 

 cut on this divide. In 1865, while constructing the Kansas Pacific Railway, 

 this forest supplied the bridge timbers, lumber and cross-ties, which wort- 

 hauled four hundred miles. At first mule teams were used, which, in the 

 Indian wars then progressing, were captured and run off; but the energy and 

 determination of the builders of this.pioneer railway were equal to the emer- 

 gency, and thousands of oxen were purchased from Mexico. Since buffaloes 

 were roaming the plains in great numbers, these lean animals were abhorred 

 by the savages and went unmolested. 



Several cuttings have since been made. The Colorado Southern and Den- 

 ver & Rio Grande were built from timber grown here. 



At present there are growths of all sizes, from seedlings one to ten years 

 old, standing thickly over portions of the land, up to trees of six to sixteen 

 inches thickness. 



It is interesting to note the difference in size of trees having the same 

 age. Some standing thickly, thirty to the square rod, are only an inch or two 

 diameter, while others having more room, four to the rod, are six inches 

 through and forty feet high. This shows the importance of artificial thin- 

 ning. It takes nature many years to accomplish what man can do, with a 

 small amount of labor in destroying surplus growths, in a brief period. 



