THE SClEXTJS r 
In Colorado, tlic tir><t j;io\vlli above 
♦he cactus — tree cactus, 1 mean — .s;ii2,c 
1)1us1k etc., is usually pinion — pro. piii- 
Yon — and scrubby deciduous trees, while 
in New jNlexico, this foothill zone n-ually 
produces scrubby live oak and pinions 
wliich are followed, as one ascends, by 
l)ines, cedars and junipers. 1 have never 
observed spruce in New Mexico, but in 
Colorado it i^rows abuivdantly up to 
limber line. On (^lnwsclitc! Mountain^ — 
about (;0 miles soutlicast of Eeadville — I 
observed a dense growth of whire and 
red spruce up to an elevation of 11.500 
f.^et above sea level. 
The summer snow line is usually, on 
the north sides of the mo»uitain slopes, 
about from 12,500 to 12,750 feet above 
sea level, while on the south and south- 
western slopes, the snow line — durin*^; 
July and August— is from 1,000 to 1,500 
feet higher. In the extreme southern 
part of New Mexico, there is no snow 
and, consequcnth^ but little timber at 
any elevation. 
Fortunately for these coiuitries, the 
timber is most abundant where there are 
minerals and other resources that at- 
tract population. But the timber lands 
of the lvocky IMountains are being rapidly 
denuded. As one ])asses up or down the 
}iarrow vallej^s or canons of this region, 
he will frequently see what appeai-s. in 
the distance, to be white, conical-shaped, 
bee hives. A closer view^ reveals the 
fact that they aie charcoal kilns. Hun- 
dreds, possibl}' thousands, ol these kilns 
are gradually, but surely, consuming the 
timber from oft" the mountain sides and 
converting it into charcoal for the 
smelters at Leadville, Denver, Pueblo 
and other points. But the coals of these 
countries are being developed and al- 
ready form an important item of re- 
source. The eastern coal belt of Colo- 
rado commenced in the southeastern 
part of the state near Cimmarron pass 
and extends in a westerlv direction to 
Trinidad. From here i! d( llccls to the 
northwest and extends along the base of 
the mou}itains almost to Colorado 
Springs — about 150 miles. As one goes 
up at the rate of 210 feet to the nnle 
from Trinidad to the top of the divide— 
at Katton Pass — he can not fail to ob- 
serve that the ♦coal measures nearly 
parallel the grade of the railroad all the 
way to the top. No granite or other 
azoic rocks ai)i)ear. Tije tunnel at the 
])nss seems to have ])enetrated cai-bonif- 
erous rocks only — the cap rock being a 
thick sandstone and, if 1 am not mis- 
taken, about on the same geological 
horizon as the Warrensburg. Mo., sand- 
stone. 
The above grade does not average 210 
feet to the mile, but the track j-ises 
about 2120 feet in sixteen n)iles with 
several miles at a gi-ade of 210 feet, it 
will be seen from these tigures that the 
average dip of the coal or carboniferous 
I'ocks is not less than 125 feet to the mile 
for from tifteen or twenty miles, as the 
dip extends east of Trinidad. 
1 have seen no ofticial tigures on this 
coal field, but think it fair to estimate it 
at about 1500 square n)iles. The vein 
now^ mostly woiked is from four to seven 
feet tliick. The members of the Academy 
are well acquainted with the Canon Citv 
coal. That at the south end of the fieh) 
is not so nearly an anthracite, but is 
better adapted to the making of coke. 
Perhaps none of the coals of Colorado 
are equal to those of Pejinsylvania for 
coking pui'poses with the singla excep- 
tion of the Gunnison coal. I do ;iot 
know the size of the Gunnison field, but 
it is undoubtedly a very important one. 
1 tried to go over to inspect it last 
month, but the tunnel across the conti- 
nental divide at the head of Chalk 
Gulch was not considered safe, so I p. /si- 
poned the proposed survey till a more 
convenient season. 
Tile coal field around (jomo, Colorado. 
