SURVEYS OF FOREST RESERVES. 95 



used for shingles and telegraph poles, and in lodge-pole pine, valuable 

 for fencing, fuel, and small mining timber. Its future value will be 

 derived mainly from the larcii, which, as already noted, includes by far 

 the larger part of the young growth. The reproduction of tlie Douglas 

 flr is also very vigorous, as is that of the lodge-pole pine in places. 

 The young white ))ine unfortunately does not come in so well, and a 

 careful study will be required to determine wliat method of removing 

 the old timber will lead most efiBciently to the reproduction of this very 

 valuable tree. 



The western larch, valuable at present chiefly for ties, and to some 

 extent for lumber, has, when matured, an average height of 175 feet, an 

 average diameter of 3 feet, and an average length of clear trunk of about 

 80 feet. A good-sized tree will cut from five to seven 16-foot logs. Its 

 reproduction is abundant and wide-spread, and since it possesses 

 qualities which make it extremely valuable as a finishing wood, and in 

 construction, it promises to constitute hereafter the chief value of the 

 reserve. 



The mountain white pine (silver pine) is very valuable as a lumber 

 tree. It is said to compare favorably with the white pine of the East, 

 than which it reaches a larger average size. The usual dimensions of 

 mature trees may be stated as follows: Height, 175 feet; diameter, 4 

 feet; leugth of clear trunk, 75 feet. A fair- sized tree will cut from five 

 to seven i6-foot logs. Eeproduction is moderate and must be considered 

 in deciding on methods of cutting. Planting and other expensive 

 sylvicultural operations are of course entirely out of the question. 



The Douglas flr (red flr), while it is one of the most valuable timber 

 trees of other regions, is here chiefly used for ties. Its reproduction is 

 second to that of the larch, and its average size is small. That of the 

 the mature tree may be stated as follows: Height, 100 feet; diameter, 

 2 feet; length of clear trunk, 50 feet. It is not used for lumber at 

 present. 



The western yellow pine furnishes in other regions enormous quanti- 

 ties of coarse lumber. It is used also for railroad ties where more 

 durable woods are not available. Its reproduction, very abundant in 

 some regions, is here comparatively scant. The size of the average tree 

 may be stated as follows: Height, 100 feet; diameter, 2 feet; length of 

 clear trunk, 40 feet. An average tree will cut one 16-foot log. 



The western cedar is much in demand for telegraph poles and shingles. 

 It is occasionally used for cross-ties. Frequently unsound at the heart, 

 it is yet a most valuable resource wherever it occurs. Reproduction in 

 this reserve is good, and the trees are of fair soundness and size. The 

 average maybe estimated as follows: Height, 100 feet; diameter, 2J 

 feet; length of clear trunk, 30 feet. 



The lodge-pole pine, a tree which owes its wide diffusion through the 

 West very largely to the rapidity with which it seeds up burnt lands, 

 has here taken possession of considerable stretches of the drier local- 

 ities. Besides its value for fencing, fuel, and mining timber it serves a 

 most useful purpose in preparing devastated land, by the fertilizing 

 fall of its leaves and twigs, for the occupation of more valuable species. 

 It reaches here an average height of 90 feet, with a diameter of 1 foot, 

 and a length of clear trunk of 40 feet. 



Priest Eiver Forest Reserve has suffered from fire to an extent diffi- 

 cult to conceive without actual experience. The forest on not less than 

 200,000 acres has been totally destroyed within the last thirty years. 



