106 



MEAGHER COUNTY. 

 (Total area, 5,700 square miles; estimated forest area, 1,100 square miles.) 



This county is situated near the center of the Territory. The Mis- 

 souri River forms its western boundary. Other important streams are 

 the Muscle Shell and Smith Rivers. Mountains, valleys, and foot-hills, 

 or grazing lands, further vary the surface of the county. 



The forests are mostly situated on the mountain slopes, the main 

 sources of timber supply bein^ the Big and Little Belt, Snowy and Elk 

 Mountains, and portions of the Highwood and Crazy ranges. The 

 best timber is usually in the least accessible districts It is estimated 

 that one-tenth of the forest area is good timber and three-tenths prom- 

 ising second growth. The remainder is brush and lands made waste 

 by fire. 



Yellow and White Pine and Spruce are the principal limber trees. 

 Cottonwood is used to some extent for fuel. 



The following list includes the names and location of the different 

 species native to this county : 



Yellow Piue {Finns ponderosa), Smith River and elsewhere. 

 White Piue (P. alhicaulis), Little Belt Mountains. 



Lodge-pole Pine, wrongly called Tamarack (P. Murrayana), Little Belt 

 Mouutains. 



Blue (or White) Spruce {Picea i^ungens), all mountain ranges. 



Cottonwood {Populiis monilifera), widely distributed. 



Black Cottonwood (P. angiislifolia), all large streams. 



Balsam Poplar (P. haJsamifera), Belt Creek. 



Aspen (P. tremuloides), mountain ranges. 



Box-elder {Negundo aceroides), margins of streams. 



Dwarf Maple (Acer glabrum), Little Belt Mountains. 



Mountain Mahogany (Cercoearjyus ledifoUiis), Little Belt Mountains. 



Wild Cherry {Prunus demissa and P. Fennsylvanica), creek valleys. 



Black Birch (Betula occidentalis), borders of streams. 



MISSOULA COUNTY. 



(Total area, 24,500 square miles; estimated forest area, 16,200 square miles.) 



This county, of such great extent, is situated in the northwest corner 

 of the Territory, and upon the western slope of the continental divide. 



The Cabinet, Ccsur d'Alene, and Bitter Root Mountains and their 

 outlying spurs occupy a large portion of the western half of the county, 

 It is watered by the Kootenai, Clarke's Fork of the Columbia, Missoula. 

 Bitter Root, Pend d'Oreille and other streams. Flathead Lake, a sheet 

 of water 30 miles in length by 10 in width, is situated in the northeast- 

 ern portion. A few other small lakes are found in the same region. 

 The surface of the county is about one-third mountains and hills, and 

 the remaining part consists of valleys and plateaus. Agriculture and 

 fruit-raising are leading industries j many fine orchards have been 

 grown. 



