126 



is brought from the extreme western part of the couDty, at the head of 

 I^orth Clear Creek. The principal green timber is in the vicinity of 

 Bear MountainSj but it will not much exceed 1 square mile in area. A 

 new growth, however, is rapidly spriugiug up over about one third of 

 the county. Of the forest trees now remaining, White Pine predomi- 

 nates. 



There are no irrigating ditches in the county, and no farming land 

 except small areas along the creeks and gulches, which in general re- 

 quire no irrigation. The volume of water in the streams has dimin- 

 ished to a considerable extent and become more irregular in flow, partly 

 on account of the failure of springs, resulting from deep mining, but 

 mainly because of the clearing off the forests. As the bare slopes can 

 not absorb and retain the rain-fall, heavy floods occur at some seasons 

 (summer) and there is excessive dryness at others. 



GRAND COUNTY. 

 (A.rea, 1,800 square miles ; estimated forest area, 700 square miles.). 



This county is situated in north-central Colorado. A large portion 

 of its area is covered by Middle Park, in which are found the sources 

 of the Grand River. These streams furnish an abundant water supply. 

 The forests of the county are situated upon the surrounding ranges and 

 upon the mountain spurs projecting into tUe Park. About three-fifths of 

 the timber is good for lumbering purposes j one-fifth is brush and sap- 

 lings of promising growth, and the remainder has been made waste by 

 fire. A peculiarity of this district is that burned areas are soon retim- 

 bered with the original species. Sometimes the second growth is Aspen. 



The timber here is better than the average of Eocky Mountain tim- 

 ber, the trees running from 8 inches to 4 feet in diameter of trunk, from 

 25 to 75 feet in length, and suitable for lumber, shingles, etc. The 

 principal species are Pine, Spruce (three varieties). Fir (two varieties), 

 and Aspen; Pine predominates. Most of the timber is at present used 

 as logs and poles, but little having been sawed into lumber. 



" At the high altitude of the forests in this county, 8,000 to 11,000 feet 

 above seadevel, tknber growth is necessarily slow. In some parts of 

 the forests snow lies until June, and in many portions until July. I can 

 point out areas that had been burned over a few years previous to 1863, 

 and upon which the new x)ine growth was then just started, or but a 

 few feet high, which are now thickly covered with trees 10 or 12 inches 

 in diameter and from 30 to 50 feet in height. These are in the middle 

 of the Park. The spruce forests at high altitudes are seldom burned, 

 and I can not speak so confidently of their reproduction. We have had 

 no extensive fires for several years." 



There are no irrigating ditches in the county, excei)t a few very small 

 and short ones belonging to individual ranchmen. 



