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Aspen. These portions also include fertile valleys and fine grazing 

 lands. In the central parts of the county are low hills, covered with 

 Pinon and Cedar; also table-lands and valleys suitable for agriculture. 

 In the eastern and northeastern portions are plains* on which are found 

 scattering Piiion and Cedar. It is estimated that one-fourth of the 

 forest land is fully stoclied — good for timber; one eighth brush of 

 promising growth, and one-eighth made waste by burning. 



Pine, Pifion, and Cedar are the leading species. Brush and dwart 

 trees (mainly Cedar) are scattered in clumps over the whole county, 

 but the heavy timber is mostly in the north and west, on the Green- 

 horn and Sangre de Christo Mountains. It is stated that less than one- 

 hundredth part of the forest area is stocked with trees fit for timber. 



Forest fires are frequent in the mountains of this county, destroying 

 great quantities of timber. 



JEFFEKSON COUNTY. 



(Area, 760 square miles; estimated forest area, 175 square miles.) 



This county lies in the north-central part of the State, to the eastward 

 of and at an average distance of 25 miles from the main Eocky Mountain 

 range. In the eastern half of the count^^ are plains and low foot-hills ; 

 the remainder is mountainous, and includes the narrow valleys of Coal, 

 Clear, Bear, Elk, Cub, and Turkey Creeks, and the South Platte River. 



^'About 400 square miles in the mountains are two-thirds clad with 

 forest. Not over 150 square miles abound in good timber. About 40 

 square miles is burned, dead, or wasted timber land; the rest is cleared 

 or covered with young Poplar, Pine, or Spruce. The proportion of forest 

 to other lauds is about one-fifth." 



The principal species of forest trees are Yellow, Fox-tail, and Scrub 

 Pine, White Fir, Douglas Fir, Piiion, Cottonwood, Aspen, Hackberry, 

 and Box- elder. 



" Fires have destroyed in twenty years more timber than has been 

 used in that time for lumber and fuel. The only protection possible is 

 by a skillful body of forest police, to be established by the State, either 

 alone, or in co operation with the General Government. Such a police 

 force should not only prevent destructive fires, but should have rigid 

 supervision of mills sawing lumber on public lands. There should be 

 penalties for the careless use of fire by hunters, mill-men, and others. 

 There is a feeling of gx-neral indifference, unless aroused by self-inter- 

 est, concerning such fires. No one should be allowed to waste the 

 forests any more than other public property. 



The chances for the renewal of forests are good, if fires are prevented 

 from burning the waste and remnants of lumbering and clearing. The 

 second growth is Aspen, the two kinds of Pine commou everywhere, 

 and Douglas and AVhite Fir. After fires follow Aspen, with low Vine 

 Maples and Willows ; then common Pine. 



