
THE CLIMATE OF COLORADO AND ITS EFFECT ON 
TREES. 
By Grorer I. Parsons, Colorado Springs, Colo. 



















A discussion of climatie effects upon trees in Colorado must neces- 
sarily, from the lack of exact records, be rather general in its nature. 
It is to be regretted that no experimental plantations of trees have been 
made in various parts of the State, where the behavior of different 
species, under the peculiar conditions of this climate, could be regularly 
observed and noted. Such a systematic record, showing in a concise 
orm the history of each tree, would be of much more benefit than the 
general and irregular observations of any number of planters, provided, 
lways, that the observer is thoroughly trained in the work he has to 
lo, otherwise his records will be worse than useless, like many of the 
ables of meteorological phenomena, laboriously constructed after the 
nost approved scientific methods, which are now thrown aside as 
allacious. 
In the absence of these experimental stations and skilled observers, 
he province of science may be to examine and record such irregular ob- 
servations as may be found. This is what I propose to do, confining 
nyself to the results of my own general observations, and that of others, 
egarding trees, ‘ 
A detailed description of the whole climate of so large a State as 
Jolorado, and one of so great variation of surface, will be impossible 
1 the limits of this paper. The discussion will therefore be more par- 
ieularly confined to the best-known and more densely peopled portion 
ying where plain and mountain meet around the cities of Denver, 
jolorado Springs,and Pueblo. Indeed, only in this region have climatic 
bservations been taken and recorded for a period long enough to give 
iy reliable data of the average conditions; and only here have trees 
een planted to an extent sufficient to enable the observer to learn 
me of the effects of the climate upon them. 
Still, a study of the climate of this region will be, to a certain extent 
at of the whole State, for the difference between this and any other 
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