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 I 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: 



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 



3 BOT 



1 Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1875, p. 247 



