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about two feet high, with small, somewhat sharply-lobed, leaves. The 

 forms so common in the Greenhorn range, bearing small, nearly evergreen 

 leaves, do not grow in Southwestern Colorado. 



The subalpine Conifene of the southwestern slope are mainly 

 AMes Engelmanni and grcmdis. These two species, either together 

 or in forests of one alone, cover the western slope down to the 

 altitude of Pimis jjonr/ero^rf, 9,000 feet. Both species become large, 

 magnificent trees. Ahles Engelmanni is the only conifer found at 

 timber-line, but A. grandis reaches very nearly to as high an 

 altitude. Ahles Menziesil is confined mainly to the vicinity of the water- 

 courses between altitudes of 10,000 and 8,000 feet Abies Bouglasii is 

 not very common, and grows between altitudes of 9,000 and 7,000 feet, 

 descending into the region of Finns edulis and Juniperns occidentalis. 

 Abies concolor was not seen npon the western slope, and not a tree of 

 A. grandis could be found upon the eastern slope. The range of Abies 

 concolor in Colorado is southward from the Ute Pass and Manitou 

 (6,000 to 7,000 feet altitude) ; in the caiions of the Greenhorn range, 

 to the summit of Lucille Hill, Eosita, 1,000 feet, along the Sangre de 

 Cristo and Eaton Mountains to New Mexico. Pinus ponderosa in South- 

 western Colorado is abundant at 8,000 feet altitude, and its large trees 

 will furnish a great amount of lumber. Finns JJexilis is not common ; 

 it grows at an altitude of 8,500 feet with Finns po7iderosa, Abies grandis, 

 Menziesii, Engelmanni, and Bonglasii, all associated at this altitude. 

 Finns edulis and Juniperus occidenialis cover the mesas and mountains 

 below 7,500 feet altitude. The piiion often grows in company with 

 Finns ponderosa and Abies Bonglasii, and in the Arkansas Yalley grows 

 above the lower altitudes of Abies concolor and Menziesii. Last year 

 Juniperus occidenialis and Yirginiana, Abies concolor, and Finns ponde- 

 rosa matured quantities of fruit, and probably the other Conifene also 

 did ; but this year, wishing to collect seeds, 1 was unable to find any, 

 and am sure that the Coniferce of Southern Colorado matured no fruit. 

 Finns edulis is said to fruit once in seven years, and it certainly some- 

 times fruits in such abundance that the nuts are collected by the Mexi- 

 cans in quantity. 



Southwestern Colorado having never been the residence of the white 

 man, those plants which become introduced with eastern seeds have not 

 yet made their appearance. Xanthium strumarinm has been probably 

 introduced upon both eastern and western slopes. Upon the eastern slope 

 it is said to have come from Texas with the importation of cattle, the 

 burrs clinging to their' hair and becoming everywhere distributed. 

 Upon the western slope it perhaps was introduced from the south by the 

 cattle, sheep, and goats of the Indians. It is not as common as upon 

 the eastern slope, but will become so when farmers, like those of the 

 eastern slope, begin to irrigate the laud. Xanthium must have a loca- 

 tion where its roots can reach wet ground, and prefers the banks of irri- 

 ga'tion-ditches, where, in company with other troublesome plants, it is 

 permitted to grow to perfection, and its seeds spread over the cultivated 

 fields. The corn-fiekls of the band of Utes about El Late are not irri- 

 gated and are free from introduced weeds, having very few of any sort. 

 The corn is planted in hills without any regularity; the roots striking 

 down to moisture soon, they are but slightly dependent upon showers 

 from El Late. The most noticeable plants growing among the corn were 

 Xicotiana attenuata and Convolvnlus sepium. The edges of the field pro- 

 duced a fine growth of those species of Eeliajithus which so rapidly in- 

 crease in number with the irrigation and cultivation of the soil. Helian- 

 thus petiolaris and lenticular is are now sparingly found in Southwestern 



