GENERAL REPORT. 33 
It may not be considered out of place to give some consideration to 
the forestry of this and the Colorado region. The subject is now one of 
growing interest, and it is not improbable will before long become a subject 
for legislation. 
The impression gained by a resident on the eastern side of our domain, 
from what he sees, or has been taught of the region about him, is, that 
North America, from ocean to ocean, is practically a timber area. True, 
he has heard of the Western plains and prairies and deserts, but that these 
treeless stretches are actually larger by far than the timber areas does not 
occur to him, nor does it appear probable to him that in the near future 
want of timber can become a serious drawback to our national prosperity. 
This is one standpoint from which the subject may be considered. 
Another is the influence of extensive forests upon the climate. Do they 
increase the rainfall? or do they simply aid in obtaining better results with 
less damage from what does fall? How far can we use them to reclaim 
waste areas? Will it pay? 
From the following table we may see the proportionate area of wooded 
to open land in our ‘‘ West” that fairly comes within the scope of this report: 
— S Total area in | Area of wood- 
SEAT, CF. EERE acres. land in acres, 
Colorado 66, 880, 000 6, 667, 469 
Utah ..-.-. -.----.--2--- +--+ 2-22 eee 54,065,043 | - 5,391, 883 
New Mexico ..--.- 77, 568, 640 4, 710, 388 
Arizona 725 906, 240 4, 373, 065 
Nevada 71, 737,600 | 3, 589, 869 
California - ... - 120,947,840 | 9, 604, 607 
Texas ...... 175, 587,840 | 46, 960, 123 
Kansas 52,043,520 | 2,954, 751 
Nebraska 48, 636, 800 2, 541, 524” 
This table will serve at least to show how small in proportion to the 
open area is that of the timber in our Western domain. Professor Brewer 
remarks, in his Analysis of our Forest Resources (in Walker’s Statistical 
Atlas, and afterward republished in the Agricultural Report for 1875, p. 
352): ‘It is possible to cross the continent from the Pacific Ocean to the 
9 * Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1875, p. 247. 
Bort 
