Southeastern Washington and Adjacent Idaho. 95 
present in greater or lesser abundance were Potentilla sp., Mitella 
stauropetala (abundant), Leptotaenia multifida, Disporum majus, 
Moehringia macrophylla, Coptis occidentalis, Viola spp., two 
species of Lathyrus, and Vicia sp. 
It is of interest here to note that in spite of the terrific heat 
which must have prevailed over those mountain slopes, except 
where the undergrowth was dense, a considerable depth of humus 
remained intact. Where this was wholly consumed and the soil 
had been washed bare by rains there was a fairly complete turf 
of Funaria and Marchantia along with certain herbaceous plants 
already given. The effects of this forest fire were more pro- 
found in certain parts of the forest than in others, depending 
somewhat upon the topography of the devastated region. In the 
“draws” or small lateral canyons where growth conditions were 
such as to produce the most excellent stand of white pine, Douglas 
fir, white fir, and cedar, the fire was most destructive, leaving no 
trees alive. Whereas, on lateral or secondary ridges it was fre- 
quently observed that from 25 to 75 per cent. of these species, in- 
cluding yellow pine, survived the heat. These constituted the 
seed trees so valuable in the reforestation now going forward. 
A diligent search was made for any seedlings of the cone- 
bearing trees characteristic of the region under observation, and 
a few were found. A limited number of these (all were Larix 
occidentalis) were from seed germinated in 1911, but the majority 
were but a few weeks old at the time of observation. They were 
indeed scarce—not more than 60-80 per acre on north and east 
slopes and none at all on south and southeast or southwest ex- 
posures. In two instances it was observed that as many as 15-20 
seedlings were growing in one spot as though a cone had become 
planted and all its viable seeds had germinated. The area in- 
vestigated seemed to show no signs of any other conifer, which 
fact corroborates observations of a similar nature made in cer- 
tain denuded sections of Thatuna Hills. However, by the fall 
of the same year, many seedlings of Thuja, Larix, Pseudotsuga, 
and a few of Abies had sprung into existence. 
It is probable that some of these seeds were furnished by 
scattered surviving parent trees in the vicinity, although it is 
95 
