150 
of Great Salt Lake is 10 feet higher than it was in 1863. There has been little gain, — 
however, during the last ten years. It is a peculiarity of climate in Utah, asin some — 
other portions of the arid region, that there is a preponderance of rain-fall in the 
spring, when it is most needed. 
With respect to timber Utah is much like Colorado, combining a treeless plain with 
timbered mountain ridges on one side of the Territory. The valleys or plains are 
destitute of forest growth, and in early times willow brush was resorted to for fene- 
ing, adobe bricks for pavldt g, and sage brush for fuel. The valuable timber is found 
in the canyons and coves, the mountain sides having mostly only a scrubby growth 
of comparatively little account. The Uintah Range, the eastern flank of the Wah- 
satch, with San Pete and San Pitch ranges, are generally more or less wooded with 
conifers. The western flank of the Wahsatch Mountains has been nearly stripped 
of what good timber it may have had, and from that range westward to Nevada it 
may be said that the country is destitute of timber. In the southern and extreme 
southeastern portions of the Territory there is a thin covering of forests on the mount- 
ain ranges, but of an inferior character. Of the timber of Utah it may be said that. 
the best trees furnish lumber of an inferior quality only. The forests are composed 
chiefly of Red Cedar, Red or Douglas Fir, Spruce, with occasional Bull Pine (P. pon- 
derosa), and White Pine (Pinus flexilis). More than half of the forest growth of the 
Wahsatch Range is composed of this last Pine, of inferior quality. On the Oquirrh 
the trees are chiefly Douglas Fir. A scrubby growth of Red Cedar and here and 
there Pijion Pine cover the larger part of the mountain sides in the south and west. 
They are of little value except for posts, ties, and fuel. For lumber of good quality 
Utah is almost entirely dependent upon supplies from the Pacific slope and Eastern — 
States, yet the total cut of native timber in Summit and Wahsatch Counties has 
been estimated at not less than 2,000,000 feet of lumber, 300,000 cubic feet of round 
mine timber, and 12,000 cords of fuel and fencing, and this is claimed to represent 
only 20 per cent. of the cut in the Territory. 
On the whole, Utah ranks very low among our States and Territories in respect to 
woodlands, having only 7.6 percent. of her area which can be called forest. One who 
had occasion to make a special investigation of the resources of this Territory, and — 
supposed to be a competent observer, says: ‘“‘It may be stated that Utah seemed very 
generally lacking in serviceable material for fencing or building. The country set- 
tled for thirty years has drawn upon the near supply of standing timber, so that now 
lumber is obtained by great exertion and expense in most of the valley settlements. 
The labor and expense of fencing caused Brigham Young to enact the no-fence law, 
which enabled the destitute settlers to break ground, irrigate, and raise grain with- 
out the provision of any barrier against stock inroads, the cattleman being held re- 
sponsible for the damages of his herd. This Jaw in itself is a commentary on the 
scarcity of timber in Utah.” . 
Tron ores occur all over the Territory in great variety. The most important de- 
posits known are in Iron County, about 300 miles south of Salt Lake. The ore belt 
is 15 or 20 miles long and 3 or 4 miles wide. The ore is magnetite and hematite. 
Gold, silver, copper, lead, and other metals also abound in the Territory, and the pro- 
duction of the mines is annually increasing. The reported value of the gold, silver, | 
copper, and lead product for the year 1886 is $7,631,729. 
An inexhaustible supply of salt is obtained from the Great Salt Lake, which is con- 
stantly fed by salt springs, which abound in the northern part of the Territory and 
discharge into the lake. 
Stock raising is becoming an important industry in Utah. Much land unfitied for 
agriculture is adapted for grazing purposes, and the mountain slopes are covered with 
nutritious grasses. Cache Valley, the valley of Green River, and other sheltered 
situations, offer superior advantages for sheep husbandry. | 
If Utah is deficient in timber it abounds in building stones of good quality and 
great variety and very accessible. Among the best known are the granite, from the 

