GROWTH OF THE ROCK PINE. ks 
the pine once covered a considerable area, but the only timber of any 
size now on the creek is on one farm, whose owner has taken some 
pains to preserve it. The pine extends up the creek a distance of 
about 2 miles from this farm, but scarcely any trees more than 6 
inches in diameter are left. This was Government land until a few 
years ago, and people came from all directions and cut out every 
pine and cedar that would make even a post. On slopes where now 
not a pine taller than 6 feet can be found are many stumps ranging 
from 3 inches to 2 feet in diameter. Not only have the trees been 
removed, but even the greater part of the stumps have been grubbed 
up for fuel. 
Not far from Harrisburg, in Banner County, several sawmills 
formerly operated, and large quantities of timber were cut in the 
latter eighties and early nineties. A few small mills also worked in 
the canyons south of Gering, in Scotts Bluff County. The lumber 
produced by these mills was used by the settlers in the construction 
of their houses and for many local purposes. The wagon bridge 
across the North Platte at Gering is floored with pine lumber of 
local production. Of the red cedar found with the pine a large 
amount was used for fence posts, but that, too, is nearly all gone. 
No mills are operating in the Platte region at present because the 
supply has ceased to exist, but on Pine Ridge a few small portable 
mills are yet working. Methods of cutting were wasteful. Often 
the tops of large trees, and even good logs, were left to rot on the 
ground, while much of the younger growth has been cut recently 
and used for poles and posts. In some instances rows of small trees 
were partially cut and bent over to the ground to form a rude fence. 
The wholesale cutting which destroyed these forests was as justi- 
fiable as such a proceeding ever is, for the early settlers had few 
means of supplying their necessities; yet it would have been easy to 
maintain the forest by leaving sufficient seed trees and taking care not 
to injure the young growth. <A great opportunity has been lost, yet 
the reproduction studies which come later in this report furnish 
evidence that, with proper protection, much good timber can be 
grown in the Pine Ridge regions before the end of the present 
century, while the larger trees now standing will attain a profitable 
cutting size in much less time. 
MANNER OF GROWTH OF THE ROCK PINE. 
Throughout most of the pine type the forest is now very open, so 
that the trees branch near the ground and do not form clean boles. 
Only occasionally in protected situations do good forest conditions 
occur. Large trees were originally abundant, but at present one is 
very rarely found that has a diameter of 3 feet. A few of the tallest 
