72 SURVEYS OF FOREST RESERVES. 



seedlings of conifers are small and very susceptible to injury during 

 their early life. When a band of sheep passes over an area on which 

 such seedlings grow the trampling of the sharp hoofs not only cuts and 

 bruises the young trees, but it also exposes their roots, and so leads 

 directly to t.heir destruction. On dry slopes, where reproduction is diffi- 

 cult at best, the passage of a band of sheep makes it simply impossible 

 until a new crop of seedlings can replace those which have been de- 

 stroyed. It is in this way, and not at all by injury to tlie old trees (an 

 alleged fact frequently contradicted by sheep men), that sheep hurt the 

 forest. 



In so far as sheep tend to destroy or prevent a dense forest cover, 

 they injure the water supply, and that they have done both to some 

 extent, at least indirectly, is evident. The effect of their action is not. 

 believed, however, to have been seriously felt hitherto. In this con- 

 nection it may be well to add that actual observations at Fort Klamath 

 and Government Camp, quoted by Mr. Coville, indicate that snow lasts 

 about six weeks longer in the forest than in the open. 



It is believed that the reproduction of considerable parts of the 

 eastern slope may be postponed with safety to the forest, and tliat in 

 consequence sheep herding may there be permitted under suitable 

 restrictions. The importance of this industry to the three counties 

 where the sheep are chiefly owned (Wasco, Crook, and Sherman) is so 

 great that its sudden prohibition within the reserve would work great 

 hardships. Under the circumstances, the wiser course appears to be to 

 permit the pasturage of definite numbers of sheep on definite ranges 

 for the present, and in a tentative synrit, throwing the burden of the 

 prevention of the forest fires upon' the sheep owners, and in general 

 following the course advocated by Mr. Coville and summarized in Part 

 II of this report. It should not be forgotten that overgrazing will 

 lead to the extension of the ranges by means of fire. For a more 

 extended treatment of this subject, reference is made to Mr. Coville's 

 admirable report, in the conclusions of which I fully concur. 



THE FOREST, WBSTEHN SLOPE. 



The forest of the western slope is tall, dense, moist, and rich in valu- 

 able kinds of trees. The range is more heavily timbered in its northern 

 and central portions than toward the south, but the forest throughout 

 is very valuable, rapid, or fairly rapid in growth, and of great prospective 

 commercial importance. 



The most important tree is the Douglas fir (red fir), which reaches in 

 places a height of over 250 feet and a diameter near the ground of from 

 10 to 12 feet. It forms very extensive forests on the lower slopes, some- 

 times almost without admixture of other trees. The reproduction is 

 ■wonderfully good in places, especially in the open. Up to an elevation 

 of 2,000 feet this is the most plentiful tree. 



The western hemlock has great reproductive powers, and young trees 

 of this species are plentiful in the forest, especially on falleu logs and 

 dead stumjis. Its wood is valuable for lumber, buthas been little used 

 hitherto. Its average dimensions may be given as follows : Height, 125 

 feet; diameter, 3 feet; length of clear trunk, 40 feet. 



The western cedar, while of less size here than nearer the coast, is 

 still a large tree of great economic value. It prefers moist land, h^s 

 good reproductive powers, both within the forest and in the open, and 

 will be one of the first trees cut in many localities. 



The mountain white pine is another lumber tree of importance. It 



