254 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TEEEITOEIES. 



sequently below the mean temperature of the i)rincipal agricultural 

 areas of the Territory; aud, in addition to this, its ijeculiar position, as 

 will be shown hereafter, probably renders it more exposed to winter 

 storms than other j)ortions of the section. 



The record of the rain-fall has not been kept for a sufficient length 

 of time to obtain a correct average for the different seasons ; but the 

 following may be of some interest, as giving an idea of the amount : 



This shows a total for 1870 of 16.50 inches, the snow of winter being 

 reduced to the rain standard; and for the growing season, April to 

 July, 9.15 ; or taking the average of these months, in 1870 and 1871, 

 (July, 1809,) 7.04 inches, which corresponds very closely with thp rain- 

 fall in Salt Lake Basin for the same months. 



Such cereals as wheat, oats, rye, and barley, and such vegetables as 

 turnips, potatoes, cabbages, &c., can be raised here without any serious 

 difficulty on account of climate. The valley is pretty well settled along 

 its lower half. Deer Lodge City, one of the principal, and probably the 

 l^rettiest, town of the Territory is here. 



Little Blackfoot, coming down from the dividing range and having 

 to wind its way through a mass of heavy hills, is hemmed in closely for 

 most of its length, and affords but a narrow strip of arable land ; but 

 wherever a level space is found the soil is rich and productive, and 

 covered with a green carpet of tall, rich grass. I noticed timothy 

 growing wild along this stream, the citizens contending that it is from 

 seed brought by Lewis and Clark. This valley, for part of its length, 

 affords a roadway for travel and stage line from Helena, by Avay of 

 Mullen's Pass, to Deer Lodge and points west. The bordering hills are 

 generally well timbered. 



Moving west from Deer Lodge Eiver there is, as has already been 

 stated, a succession of ridges and valleys running north and south 

 parallel to each other. Of the latter, Flint Creek Valley is the first we 

 reach. It is divided into two parts, an upper and a lower, by a gorge 

 some four or five miles long. The upper portion is about ten miles 

 long, with an average width of four or five miles, including that part 

 of the bordering hills which can be irrigated. The lower part is about 

 fifteen miles long, and, counting the valleys of both forks, has an ave- 

 rage width of about five miles. The climate here is rather milder than 

 that of Deer Lodge. The grazing is good. It is but sparsely settled. 



Passing westward, across another ridge, we enter the narrow and 

 rough valley of Stone Creek. This stream is of considerable length, 

 and is about the size of Deer Lodge Eiver, (60 to 75 feet wide,) very 

 rapid and rough, flowing over bowlders and ledges. Very little farming 

 land is to be found along its banks, but the stream will furnish excel- 

 lent warter power, and timber is abundant along the bordering hills. 



The next and last valley toward the west is that of Bitter-Eoot 

 Eiver, which contains some of the finest agricultural lands in the 

 Territory. From the mouth of the caiion, where the stream emerges 

 from the mountainsj it stretches directly north to Hell Gate Eiver, 



