Ill 



Wyoming is ^Yitllin the " arid belt," and irrigatiou is depended upon 

 for tlie raising of crops. Tlie tillable area of the Territory is estimated 

 at 12,000 square miles. The laud is easily broken and cultivated, being 

 generally free from stones aud other obstructions. In exceptional sea- 

 sons the natural rain-fall is sufiicient to produce a growth of grain and 

 vegetables, but irrigation ditches and a reliable supply of water are 

 necessary to insure the success of farming operations. During the last 

 few years many companies have been incorporated in the Territory for 

 the purpose of constructing irrigating canals and ditches. Many of 

 these enterprises are now in successful operation. In a period of four 

 months during the year 1886, within the district comprising the south- 

 eastern portion of Laramie County, there were recorded the articles of 

 incorporation of over five hundred canals and ditches, extending over 

 1,000 miles in length and covering at least 100,000 acres of land. The 

 works of the Wyoming Development Company, in the same county, 

 include two canals, 29 and 37 miles long, respectively^, and from 20 to 

 25 feet wide ; 19 miles of lateral ditches, from G to 12 feet wide, and a 

 rock tunnel three-fourths of a mile long, with a flow of 1,500 cubic 

 feet per second. This system, built at a cost of $500,000, reclaims 

 60,000 acres of desert land. 



ALBANY COUNTY. 

 (Total area, 6,922 square miles; estimated forest area, 840 square miles.) 



This is a long and narrow county, in the southeastern part of the 

 Territory. The Laramie and Medicine Bow ranges occupy large areas 

 in the north central, eastern, and southern i^ortions. 



The i^'orth Platte and Big Laramie Eivers are the principal water- 

 courses. These, together with n umerous tributary streams having their 

 sources in the snowy mountains of the region, furnish an abundance 

 of water for irrigating purposes. 



The forest growth consists mainly of Yellow and White Pine, Tam- 

 arack or Lodge-pole Pine, Eed Cedar, and Aspen. It is mostly con- 

 fined to the mountain slopes and foot-hills. The heaviest bodies of 

 timber are found in the central and southwestern parts of the county. 



Between Fort Fettermau aud Laramie Peak on the La Bonte and Horseshoe Creeks, 

 aud ou the Caspar Mountain, 50 miles west of Fort Fetterman, are large tracts of 

 good saw timber. Along the North Platte and its tributary creeks are fine growths 

 of Cottonwood and Box Elder. 



Lodge-pole Pine {Pimis Murray ana) is the predominant forest tree 

 along the range east of Laramie. Yellow Pine is common along the 

 lower mountains, but does not have a dense growth. It is the largest 

 and most valuable of the pines. White Pine [Finus ftexilis) grows near 

 the timber line. A scattering growth of Eed Cedar is found ou the 

 foot-hills. Of the two varieties of Cottonwood native to this region 

 (Fopulus moniUfera and Foimliis angustifoUa) the latter is the most 

 prevalent. It is estimated that one-quarter of the entire forest area is 



