FOREST POLICY. 



and first, by far, in the production of copper, amongst the States 

 of the Union. 



Next in importance are the livestock interests. The stock 

 consists of: — 



1,000,000 cattle. 



2,800,000 sheep. 

 200,000 horses. 



The forest is meant to subserve the mines, supplying props, 

 fuel and ties; and agriculture, supplying water for irrigation pur- 

 poses. To the west are the large plains of Washington. To the 

 east those of the Dakotas and Montana, which can be irrigated 

 only, it is claimed, by using water coming from the Montana 

 Mountains. Log stumpage is worth $1.18 on an average, and logs 

 at mill $4.11. Mill investments average $13,475. 38 lumber firms 

 control about 600,000,000 feet stumpage, said to average 6,600 

 feet per acre. 



Mill products were worth in 



1870 $ 430,000 



1880 527,000 



1890 1,182,000 



1900 almost 3,000,000 



In 1900 the cut of timber was 257,000,000 feet b. m., three- 

 fifths of which was yellow pine, the balance consisting , mainly 

 of red fir and tamarack. 



The destruction by fire is said to be beyond belief. 



6. Forestry movement: Numerous petitions to Congress 

 led to the establishment of the central reserves. Geo. P. Ahern 

 delivered lectures on forestry at the Montana College of Agri- 

 culture, at Bozeman, for a number of years. 



7. Laws: Penalty for wilful or careless firing. County 

 commission required to keep fire laws posted. Tax rebate on 

 forestry plantations. 



8. Reservations: Only 690,000 acres of the Bitter Root 

 reserve lie in Montana. The Flathead forest reserve, comprising 

 1,382,400 acres, and the Lewis and Clarke forest reserve, com- 

 prising 2,926,080 acres, both lying on the crest of the Rockies, 

 have been recently combined into one reserve under the name 

 of the latter. At the same time, the reserved acreage was in- 

 creased, making the new "Lewis and Clarke forest reserve" 

 4,670,270 acres. 



SS 



