36 ABSAEOKA DIVISION OF TBLLOWSTONE FOREST RESERVE. 



slopes of the combs and ridges. In the interior portions of the township lodgepole 

 pine, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir form the forest in the valley bottoms and 

 at middle elevations. At higher altitudes the lodgepole pine thins out and is replaced 

 by white-bark pine. The forest is much broken and irregular, owing to the many 

 small burns and bare rocky expanses devoid of soil that occur everywhere in the 

 region. All ages of growth are represented, from pole stands 30 to 40 years old to 

 mature stands 150 to 200\years old. One-fourth of the forest is less than 100 years 

 old. The heaviest stand, and the most prolific in mill-timber dimensions, occurs in 

 the Davis Creek bottoms along the south line of the township. It yields from 

 6,000 to 10,000 feet B. M. to the acre and is composed principally of red fir 120 to 

 175 years old, with small proportions of spruce and the western white pine {Pinus 

 monticold). ' ' 



Chitting. — The stands in West Boulder Valley were cut and culled Y5 per cent 

 at the time of the Northern Pacific Eailroad construction to furnish tie timber. 

 Small areas in the foothills have also, been cut over to supply local demands for 

 fuel and poles. 



Burns. — Small areas of burns, 6 to 20 years old, are scattered throughout the 

 forest. The largest tracts of burned forest are situated in and contiguous to West 

 Boulder Valley. They comprise in the aggregate 3,200 acres, and are practically 

 clean burns, all the timber having been either consumed or killed. 



Reproduction. — Reproduction is slow and deficient on all the higher slopes and 

 summits. It is moderate at middle elevations except on the burns, where, outside 

 of West Boulder Valley, there is little or no young growth. On the burns where 

 restockage has begun lodgepole pine is the leading species. In the foothill 

 region and on the slopes fronting on those areas red fir is the predominating 

 species. In the mature forest there is a moderate amount of young growth com- 

 posed of the same species which form the old growth. 



Uiidergrowth. — The undergrowth is scanty. It is composed of willows, alders, 

 juniper scrub, and the like. 



Litter. — Litter is abundant in the more vigorous and close-set stands; else- 

 where there is little. It is chiefly composed of the unconsumed debris from 

 former fires and of trees killed by overcrowding. 



EJwmus, — On northern slopes a thin cover of moss and pine needles. 



Classification of lands in T. S S., R. 11 E. 



Forested .» 10,160 



Nonf orested 12 880 



Badly burned * 3^200 



I-oSged - 1,600 



Agricultural ^ ^ 1 ggg 



Grazing ggOQ 



Bare rocks 4 ggQ 



