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THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES
BY
HENRY GANNETT
FOREST RESERVES.
HENRY GANNETT, Chief of Division.
THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
The woodland and forests may be considered from two points of view, (a) as a source of lumber supply, and (b) as a physical factor with effects upon climate, erosion, and the flow of streams.
As a source of lumber supply the forest is, to all intents and pur- poses, an agricultural crop, differing from most other agricultural products in the fact that it requires a long time to reach maturity—gen- erations—while other crops require only months or, at most, a few years. The forests of the United States consist in part of what is commonly called original growth—which means simply that the forest is composed in the main of old trees which have, by sufferance of fire and the ax, been permitted to reach or exceed maturity—and in part of young growth of various ages, covering regions which have been either wholly or partially cleared by fire or the ax. The former areas bear a mature crop, the latter a crop in process of growth; thus the forest is constantly restoring itself in all those regions where the rainfall is sufficient to encourage tree growth; and in time, if not interfered with, these regions will furnish a supply of lumber as large, and presumably of the same quality, as that available when settlement first invaded them. Hence, the timber supply of the country is, in a sense, a continuous one. Timber is constantly growing to supply that which is used, and in this respect it differs from our supplies of iron ore, coal, and other minerals. These, when exhausted, will never be replaced.
The study of the forests of this country has been carried on almost entirely upon the botanical side. Our forests have been studied thor- oughly and exhaustively by botanists, but the geographic and economic sides of the question have received very little attention, except for purely commercial or utilitarian purposes. Even such an elementary fact as the extent of woodland in this country we know only in a broad, general way, except for certain limited areas which have been Imapped in connection with topographic surveys. Of the amount
19 GEOL, PT.5—1 :
a FOREST RESERVES.
of standing timber available for our use we know almost nothing. In view of the agitation for the protection of our forests which has been going on for at least a generation, and which has reached such intensity that it has become with many persous almost a religion, it is strange that there should be practically no knowledge to serve as a basis for such a cult.
In the following pages I propose to set forth the best estimate which, so far as I can see, it is possible to make at present of the woodland in this country, with its distribution by States. The sources of informa- tion will be given in such a way as to show their degree of reliability. I shall follow this with a summary of the little information we have regarding the quantity of timber, including all estimates with which I am acquainted that appear to be worth republishing; and as certain of these estimates concern the same area and the same species of timber and differ greatly from one another, I wish to say at the outset that the conflicting estimates are not published for the purpose of criticism, but simply to show that the best of available estimates do not agree and must be accepted with reservations.
We know in a broad way that the eastern part of the country, extending from the Atlantic coast to the prairies, is naturally a for- ested region, owing to the fact that rainfall is sufficient to encourage the growth of trees. Throughout this region the only areas not for- ested at present are those which have been cleared by man, and most of these are under some form of cultivation. Wherever the land is left waste, forests reproduce themselves. Upon the prairies and the plains and in the Rocky Mountain region trees grow wherever the climate will permit—i. e., wherever the rainfall is sufficient for their needs, and as rainfall is greater upon the mountains than upon the plains and in the valleys, timber is commonly found upon the mountains. On the other hand, on the northwest coast, where the rainfall is ample, and in some cases excessive, the country is heavily forested.
WOODED AREAS, BY STATES.
The wooded area of the country—the area upon which the timber crop is growing—is a subject of interest and importance, whatever may be the stage of growth of the timber upon it.
Concerning the areas upon which timber is at present growing, we are in position to make certain definite statements, although we know the entire area only approximately. Over large parts of the country the topographic maps prepared by the Geological Survey show the extent of woodland with a high degree of accuracy. The Hayden, Wheeler, and Powell surveys of the Western States and Territories mapped the woodlands over other large areas. The Northern Trans- continental Survey, carried on by the Northern Pacific Railroad Com- pany, and the Northern Pacific Railroad Company itself have mapped considerable areas in the State of Washington. California, through
GANNETT. } WOODED AREAS, BY STATES. 3
its forestry commission, has similarly mapped the forested areas in the northern part of the State. From these sources the timbered areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Kansas, Colo- rado, Utah, and parts of other States have been depicted in detail.
In most of the Hastern States, which are naturally forested, a close approximation to the wooded areas has been obtained from the figures of the Tenth and later censuses. These give the total land area, the area included in farms, and, of the area included in farms, the wood- land. The item of woodland given in these statistics does not include waste er brush land, but only that properly classified as woodland. It is assumed that the area not in farms is, in these States, composed of woodland, an assumption which is for most of these States sub- stantially correct, and for those States where it is not true, allowance has been made for the area naturally devoid of timber. In the States of the prairie, plains, and Cordilleran regions, for which this assump- tion is incorrect, other means of obtaining the timbered areas have been used, as set forth in the detailed account following:
MAINE.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880.
Sq. miles.
Rotalvlan dtarear. sameness eee eee ete eeepc ys Coma) eins Nuh ae 29, 875 Wioodlandhingfarmarcscerweterr pia nase eerie ee eee area 4, 200 Moodland no thinwarma ames nee ee ee aaa er soe mat ear: ee com eee eee 19, 500 Ro tal&w.oodiland tae cp erecta ae epee cy eein a ceil Sen weal |) fa oN 23, 700
Percentage of land area, 79.
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880.
Sq. miles.
Rotalplandkarcateerec. aca ss cee cee eee ee se re ee LS 9, 005 Wroodlandiinglarmstsecnesean actin samer eater oe eae ue geno ce CTi r! cit, 2, 000 Woodland o tpn acm siete eee eee eee era 3, 200 Rotaliwoodlan dirs may- crise ee ae eee ian ae enc eee hee oo ie eee 5, 200
Percentage of land area, 58.
VERMONT.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880.
Sq. miles
lo tallilan dare algeesreyen memset ofertas ge ae ea eter nl onda UO a NO 9, 135 Woodland sinyiarms) jamais es eee so secceneine sc uac si tcce neat es 2, 300 Wood! am dino tpinifarm sass sense seer ee ane e eayat eh tees eee 1, 600 Ro talkwood am dese wrote fee ey ee ae brea a eerie waa lave 3, 900
Percentage of land area, 43.
4 FOREST RESERVES.
MASSACHUSETTS.
The area of woodland, 4,200 square miles, or 52 per cent of the land area of the State, has been obtained from the maps of this Survey.
RHODE ISLAND.
The area of woodland, 400 square miles, or 40 per cent of the land area of the State, has been obtained from the maps of this Survey.
CONNECTICUT.
The area of woodland, 1,900 square miles, or 39 per cent of the land area of the State, has been obtained from the maps of this Survey.
NEW YORK.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880.
Sq. miles.
Motaliland area sess eee asa setae cei eeises siecle Seni oeeeare see ee eee ce meer ieeee 47, 620 Wroodlandtin farms: 2222 <2 5-\ox ares sietet os nse eee ciecioa e soeiee ee oe clock pie aeieee 8, 100 \i@oullemal menting hho caoe so osSsa5 osbecd GaKd eae 0Sa5 SODSES SES CaCO HON 10, 600 Total woodland <<. 5 s22e = senses Soe ee ae ee eee ete eee aiscee serene 18, 700
Percentage of land area, 39.
NEW JERSEY. :
The area of woodland has been obtained from the maps of the State survey. Wooded area, 3,234 square miles, or 43 per cent of the land area of the State.
PENNSYLVANIA.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880.
Sq- miles. Total Wlandvareay- seas sacee oe atelectasis cre cla ieeicee ereitleranee eee eee 44, 985 Wioodlandinifarms! so scec cee ccc ne oo cece oe ee ewe eee eines soso eae eee ees 9, 100 Woodland inottinefarmay Ssescices caetecce eee ere ee ee elsclnies ooleielnoisee neces 14, 100 Motal&woodlandrecacrmcsas sm cee esete ee seein eee sleet cee eee 23, 200
Percentage of land area, 51. DELAWARE.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880.
Sq. miles
Totallandiarea asses ene eecese ese eee ee cece ee ee eee eee eee eee 1, 960 Woodland hinifarms ters =o co eee eee eece eee eee ioe ora oh eet raven et 440 Woodland notjintfarmsisss-as asec ease eee eee aoe cnee cote eens 260 Mota] twoodland Se essere seren eee niae seca ne eee een ieee 700
Percentage of land area, 36.
GANNETT. ] WOODED AREAS, BY STATES. 5
MARYLAND. The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880. Sq. miles. Total land area ..---..--------- Soon bodadcooous sous Sesdobonuabeosoa sabaDegs 9, 860 \Wyoodllamngl tin TAM Goooco Soca ceoses oo e660 050000 sonono sane Seog enSesdses6 secs 2, 550 Wioodland not im farms 22225. ose soa = enim ween ee ne ae 1, 850 Total woodland —------- ------ eacces woes wenn = ~~ = ww n= ne wee 4, 400
Percentage of land area, 44. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The wooded area has been measured from the maps of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey at 12 square miles.
VIRGINIA. The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880. Sq. miles Total land area ..--.. .----.---------- ------ +--+ --- -- == +--+ == 22-22 - = 22 eee 40, 125 Woodland in farms ----.----- .----- --2--- ---- ---- ---- 2-23 - === = ee 14, 300 Woodland not in farms -...--....---- ---- ---------- ---- +--+ 2 == ++ ee eee eee 9, 100 Total woodland ..-.-.-.--------.----- ---- .--- ---- s--- =~ ~~~ - === oe 23, 400
Percentage of land area, 58.
WEST VIRGINIA.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880. Sq. miles. Thoall Ten PAE, 5 ose sees cs Hose Cost oonand as cone KobSnS cUsD Esea coco ccascseses Hy)
\i@oallanmal tm Terns). Sooo S55 osess6 ono Sco on= So Ses Sescas sooS9.95e6005550 S556 9, 700 Woodland not in farms -.-.-.---.-.-----------------------+--+---++------+---- 8, 700 Noel \7@woullepaGl nos cans coS5s0 coeseo seosse boo cUe ood sScu os06 BUed cn0S065 18, 400
Percentage of land area, 74.
NORTH CAROLINA.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880.
Sq. miles
Nona Ising! GRE soos c0gs soscoe eaeeee 0665 Gadd sodoco poEEaDRScEoSaSSESo BeeG esos 48, 580 Thvoallamél fin TONS sooo sescou sand ccna cose ache Se aotbponon eucESd ess Ree seme eee 21, 700 Woodland notin farms) soo. soso. oan wees se oo ee ae nian i= =m 13, 600 Towa WrOCdlNGl cccco secs s2S6 nono soeSS0 co odon ness epEd eseoon neds basccs 35, 300
Percentage of land area, 72.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
The area of woodland has been obtained from the census of 1880. Sq. miles.
Total land area -.-..----- ------ -----2 = 95 2 ne on in ne en nn 30, 170 \Wwaolaél tm tems), 45 coo ceca coeSobonse Sao en a cosdoocced SoonSscIogsesebcsadend 11, 300 Woodland not in farms ....-..--------------------------------------------- 9, 200
Tovall WOOGllemG , soc coadae ore eres coseds sessed oseans sess adsa case anes 20, 500
Percentage of land area, 68.
6 FOREST RESERVES.
GEORGIA.
Tn the reports upon cotton production of the census of 1880. there are statements of the wooded area of each county in the States of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Ten- nessee. They were obtained with considerable care by Prof. Hugene Hilgard and his assistants. In the case of Georgia, each county is reported to be naturally entirely woodland. The wooded area has therefore been accepted as given by the census, without change.
Sq. miles.
Goren NehaGl Pay So5c Soo hase secaue Sans caanae oe dbes sse5 coon cose scene SHOS CBS 58, 980 Wroodlandsinttanm seats sss eee eee eee eee eee eee eee eae 23, 800 WOO CURE! MOU TM WIA soos cco cose caecs 6 ob ebes Sees edosoS cobe cose coso cseass 18, 200 Tora yrooGlanel ooh6 sessed seas csocee Cesassesss Soscoconseses esas Sand 42, 000
Percentage of land area, 71. FLORIDA.
In the description of the counties of this State in the report upon cotton production, above cited, it is stated that an area of 14,760 square miles is devoid of timber. This is comprised almost entirely in the southern portion of the peninsula. ‘The census figures for woodland, obtained in the manner above described, have therefore been reduced by this amount, leaving a timbered area of 34,300 square miles, or 70 per cent of the area of the State, as follows
Sq. miles.
TR Meh eRe), saeco saassS ous aasosse cdeceeed sousdecobads ssenacddcaqasaadasd 54, 240 Via layne) in sR) nase aaoadS soos osoesuEdne caSRcddane ose5 cons eado.abdo oD5S 3, 400 \WYVOOaTernG! OYE TM, TERNS osascs copso6 oaa5 aces 2555 So 0dsoos05b6 aooooeeo esee sans 34, 300 Monel walleye nos sass coe ocadbcoans sasess 5950 So NSaS GobSsO S595 baS555 37, 700
Percentage of land area, 70.
ALABAMA.
In this State the counties are reported as being composed entirely of woodland, and no reduction is therefore made from the census figures.
= Sq. miles.
TRO WewaVel BHREE) csscod anos cuaa cooo DRGads 652505 5556 Ganon SaSessospS os0000BS0e 51, 540 Violen iim Wipes 6d sosSaesosebseeao hte coop eoEanone 2550 Bean boEoooseDees 16, 300 \Wyoncllemyal nan in NE Sass scas sass oSScee ane casas seo SaD Sood Hosa oecoseeese 22, 000 TROL WOO GU ENG 5 cade cogses cons HS06 cos SUED Sond bonESS dooRSS Sood douS 38, 300
Percentage of land area, 74.
MISSISSIPPI.
In this State Professor Hilgard reports that 5,600 square miles are naturally open country. While some of this area, perhaps a consider- able part of it, may have been reduced to cultivation, appearing in the census reports as improved land, still the entire amount has been
GANNETT. ] WOODED AREAS, BY STATES. tl
deducted from the census figures, leaving a timbered area in the State of 32,300 square miles, or 70 per cent.
Sq. miles.
Tho InaGl GRE, 45+ .o5se5 Ssoosdoosuce sean 2dessd 50 sHeSes s00eSs S0nSS5.09DSR0 46, 340 Wwootllenngl tim forms 2625+ cos5 ceecedosccue cesoog baSSSo sauous caoeeesesees oad6 14, 300 (Nroatn oth Os farMis eee ee eee PER ere ee et ene ccsen ecto bce eee eats 21, 600 35, 900
Open areas not in farms... ..---------------------------------------------- 3, 600 TMoyall woOOGlliaMNGl...o.56 soba sacs cous cose coe Seon cosaSa so CocSSS HUGS S505 32, 300
Percentage of land area, 70.
LOUISIANA.
In this State Professor Hilgard reports 11,300 square miles of natur- ally open country. This is mainly in the southern counties, bordering the Gulf. It has been deducted from the census figures, leaving 28,300 square miles of woodland, or 62 per cent of the area of the State.
Sq. miles.
Toei WeinGl Give) Coonas soo ces 050bos 6655 See eb cobe=s o5 coneso coSnes sobcamenmosS 45, 420 \WVOoGliAmat Tim TMNT) <2 5556 coos coee ss dada50 sees Cpe Sse case coae SaESso sSanES eos 7, 100 JTC WOW TN, PAB 55250 ososon osSeo0 saawes SooSe0 cose Gosees sSsanc= cscs 2o85 S25- 32, 500 39, 600
Open country not in farms ---.----------------------------------+----------- 11, 300 Tinall wwomdleyn@l 55 boceeacess Seeds 6ossas cssse5 oscncs coer bagsde 5e50 28, 300
Percentage of land area, 62.
TEXAS.
The total land area of Texas is 262,290 square miles. The areas of woodland in the central and western portions of this State have been measured from the maps of this organization. Other timbered regions, all of which are comprised in the eastern part of the State, have been taken directly from the reports upon cotton production above cited, giving the total wooded area of the State at 64,000 square miles, or 24 per cent of its area.
ARKANSAS.
In this State the reports upon cotton production give the area of naturally open country at 1,500 square miles. The census figures have therefore been reduced by this amount, leaving a timbered area of 45,000 square miles, or 54 per cent.
Sq. miles.
Thaw IeKNGl ERA 05 codosseson coscos cosa poco DoEASS HUSESO Be aude deca bansescaas 58, 945 Viiooallenval sin seRINS Seoecocsoosc coco cobese Sans cbosne eae saneoseda souaesos645¢ 12, 300 INROR, WOW TN TM) 5-55 Soskeu soseos cosneeosss Sa0d esos epee aa cee esse esos cstoce 34, 200 46, 500
Open country not in farms .-._-.-.--------------------------- ------------- 1, 500 Toe VOCE 25 coqc06 coseco sans ocbeno segues ccbs Saectoasmeses bases 45, 000
Percentage of land area, 84.
8 FOREST RESERVES.
KENTUCKY.
In Kentucky the census method has been employed.
Sq. miles.
Anu Te MNGLENMRCN soscu0 oedece see coches coo ose Coe Sou so0SH6 DoSS0E 59 0De050bESEDS 40, 000 Woodland! imfar mis Saar pera ee ara cota cies cee See nite eect ese aelene oes 15, 800 Wroodlandenothimitannss seers eerndtsciee vel =s)-) eee eee ee ECC erane see ioees 6, 400 TLotaliawoo di and sass eer ees ssa oS <a eae ciciseeekeeeieleee eee et toe 22, 200
Percentage of land area, 55. TENNESSEE.
In Tennessee the census method has been employed, since the cotton reports specify that the counties are all naturally covered with timber.
Sq. miles
AoE NennGl ere oo 5550 asco e206 sosese SS eao SaaKeOSs cas6 eons bond Seon doDdonNS 41, 750 Woodlandbiubtarm(s sete sees otc ce cie sale fe Sse aoe eee ee enee teres teione ese ieteee ie cieemne OOO, iWoodlandinotintiarmsteerecssee ca: cece cece eee eee eerie eee eeeeeee 9, 700 Motaliwoodland sso s esses ee eal tie Seis eo eis ee ee Oe ee Reeee 27, 300
Percentage of land area, 65.
OHIO.
With the exception of 2,460 square miles, or about 6 per cent, the entire area of Ohio was included in farms. The woodland in farms was reported at 9,300 square miles. The area not included in farms is little more than is necessary to allow for roads, right of way of railroads, and the areas of cities. The area of woodland in farms, therefore, may be regarded as a close approximation to the total wooded area of the State. This is about 23 per cent of its area.
INDIANA. t
& The areain farms in this State is approximately 32,000 square miles, leaving only 3,900 square miles not included infarms. Of this, probably about 1,000 square miles are occupied by roads, railroads, and town sites, leaving 2,900 square miles. Much of this is in the southern part of the State, which is better timbered than the northern part, and it is believed that certainly half of this land is wooded. This, added to the woodland in farms, 9,300 square miles, makes a total of 10,800 square
iniles of timber land in the State, or 30 per cent of its area.
ILLINOIS.
The land area of Illinois is 56,000 square miles. Of this, 49,500 square miles are included in farms, leaving 6,500 square miles to be accounted for. The southern portion of the State is well timbered, and the greater part of the area not in farms is found in these southern counties. After allowing 1,500 square miles for roads, railroads, and town sites, it is
GANNETT. ] WOODED AREAS, BY STATES. 9
believed that one-half the remainder, or 2,500 square miles, is timbered, and this, added to the 7,700 square miles of woodland in farms, makes 10,200 square miles as the entire wooded area of the State, or 18 per cent.
MICHIGAN.
In this State we have the returns from the census of 1894. At that time the southern portion of the State, in which all the prairie land is situated, was almost entirely taken up in farms, the upper portion of the lower peninsula and the entire upper peninsula, except where improved, being woodland. The entire land area of the State is 57,430 Square miles. The woodland in farms was 4,600 square miles; the entire area in farms was 23,900 square miles, leaving 33,530 square miles as woodland not in farms. This, with the woodland in farms, makes a total for the State of about 38,000 square miles, or 67 per cent of the area of the State.
WISCONSIN.
Land area, 54,450 square miles. For this State we have the State census for 1895, showing a total area in farms of 28,700 square miles, which, subtracted from the total area of the State, leaves 25,750 square miles, practically all of which is timbered land. This, added to the timbered area in farms, 6,000 square miles, makes 31,750 square miles of woodland in the State, or 58 per cent of its area.
MINNESOTA.
The census figures for 1880 in this State are inadequate to express its present condition, inasmuch as at that time large tracts of prairie land in the southern part were not included in farms. The census of the State, taken in 1895, does not give farm areas, but the State Geo- logical and Natural History Survey has made an estimate of the tim- bered area, which is, I believe, entitled to confidence, and has been accepted. This gives the timbered area of the State as 52,200 square miles, or 66 per cent of its area.
IOWA.
Land area, 55,475 square miles. This is essentially a prairie State, containing but little timber, and that scattered in small areas over its surface. The figures of the census of 1880 can not be used, as in other States, inasmuch as at that time large areas of prairie land were not included in farms. Judging from the small portion of the State which has been mapped by the Geological Survey, and a certain amount ot local knowledge, it is estimated that about one-eighth of the State, or say 7,000 square miles, consists of woodland.
10 FOREST RESERVES.
MISSOURI.
Within this State the transition occurs from dense forests, which cover the southeastern portion, to prairie lands in the northwest. North of Missouri River the country is largely prairie, the proportion of prairie increasing westward. South of the river the eastern portion of the State is naturally entirely forested, the proportion of forest diminishing in the western part until along the west boundary not more than 20 to 30 per cent is naturally forested.
About one-fourth of this State has been mapped by this organiza- tion, being the central and southwest portions, The maps show this progressive diminution of timber, and, so far as they go, the distribu- tion of woodland. Using them as the basis of an estimate for the State, a result was obtained which accords very closely with the results obtained from the census of 1880, and this has been adopted. It is as follows:
Sq. miles
Total Vanduaneas seceters oes osm fois cleans ies cle Se EE Eee peices ne 68, 735 Wooded iareaytnitanmseet ae sias2 cee e222 == eet aise ee ECE eee ee eee 15, 800 Wioodlandimopiimifarm'sieraeepicee <ccig-e cen \asice ieee el Sey eee eee 25, 200 Lotalswoodedvareaseacceasccoes eassie ce seeeiceco ces eemase cei seer 41, 000
Percentage of land area of the State, 60.
NORTH DAKOTA. 3
This State contains only a trifling amount of woodland, located in the valley of Missouri River, about Devils Lake, and in the Pembina Mountains. The total area is estimated at 600 square miles, or about 1 per cent of the area of the State.
SOUTH DAKOTA.
The main body of timber in this State is in the Black Hills, in the southwestern portion. A narrow strip occurs also along Missouri River and other large streams. The area of timber in the Black Hills is taken from the maps of this organization, and covers 2,000 square miles, to which may be added 500 square miles as the area in the bottom lands of the streams, making a total of 2,500 square miles, or 3 per cent of the area of the State.
NEBRASKA.
The wooded portion of Nebraska is in the extreme eastern portion of the State, and is estimated at 2,300 square miles, or 3 per cent of the State’s area. A large body of pine timber is reported in the north- western part of the State, but its area and limits are unknown.
GANNET?.] WOODED AREAS, BY STATES. 11
KANSAS.
The wooded area of Kansas is in the eastern portion of the State. It is narrow in the north and broadens southward. It has been mapped by this organization, its area being 5,700 square miles, or 7 per cent of the State’s area.
INDIAN TERRITORY.
The wooded area of the Territory covers 20,000 square miles, or 65 per cent of its area. This area is obtained from maps and plats of the Territory. Nearly all of the Choctaw Nation, part of the Creek Nation, the eastern portion of the Cherokee Nation, and about half of the Chickasaw Nation are woodland.
OKLAHOMA.
The wooded area of Oklahoma is taken, in the main, from the maps of this Survey, which indicate that it comprises 4,400 square miles of the eastern portion of the Territory, or 11 per cent of its entire area.
MONTANA.
Of the area of Montana it is estimated that 42,000 square miles, or 29 per cent, are wooded. In obtaining these figures the maps of this organization, covering much of the western portion of the State, were used. The remaining timbered portions were outlined from local knowledge possessed by men in this office, particularly Mr. J. B. Leiberg.
WYOMING.
The timbered area of Wyoming is estimated at 12,500 square miles, being 13 per cent of the area of the State. This estimate was obtained from the maps of this organization, covering the Bighorn Mountains and Yellowstone Park and the adjacent forest reserves, and the Hay- den map of the southwestern portion of the State, supplemented in other regions by local knowledge possessed by topographers of the Survey.
COLORADO.
The wooded area of Colorado is 33,500 square miles, or 32 per cent of the area of the State. This was taken from the surveys made by the Hayden Survey in 1872 to 1876.
NEW MEXICO.
The wooded area of New Mexico is estimated at 23,700 square miles, or 19 per cent of the area of the Territory. This was obtained from the maps of this Survey and of the Wheeler Survey, supplemented by local knowledge possessed by men in this office.
12 FORESI RESERVES.
ARIZONA.
The wooded area of this Territory is estimated at 25,000 square miles,
22 per cent of the total area. The estimate has been obtained, in the main, from maps of this organization, which cover the northern part of the Territory, embracing most of its woodland. The wooded regions about the head of Gila River, which constitute practically all the remaining areas, were outlined by Mr. Gilbert Thompson, of this Survey, from his knowledge of the locality.
UTAH.
The wooded area of Utah is 10,000 square miles, or 124 per cent of the area of the State, as determined hy the Powell Survey.
IDAHO.
The wooded area of Idaho is estimated at 35,000 square miles, or 42 per cent of its area. This is comprised almost entirely in the northern portion of the State. Data for this estimate were obtained from maps prepared by Mr. Leiberg and from the atlas sheets of this Survey.
WASHINGTON.
Of this, one of the most important lumber States of the country, the wooded area is estimated at 47,700 square miles, or 71 per cent ef the area of the State. .This wooded area extends from the Pacific coast eastward to the eastern base of the Cascade Range, and includes also the northern portion of the State and a narrow, irregular strip upon the east.
OREGON.
The wooded area of Oregon is estimated at 54,300 square miles, or 57 per cent of the area of the State. The outlines of the woodland in this State were, in large part, obtained from the explorations of Mr. Leiberg. From the coast to the eastern base of the Cascades the State is timbered, with the exception of small prairies and clearings in Will- amette and other valleys in the depression between the Cascade and Coast ranges. The Blue Mountains, in the northeast, are wooded, and timber is found upon several of the ranges traversing the gana emi southeastern portions of the State.
NEVADA.
The wooded area of Nevada is estimated at 6,100 square miles. Most of this is in the western portion, where the Sierra forests project over into this State, and a little is found upon the summits of the higher ranges in other parts of the State. The wooded area forms less than 6 per cent of the area of the State.
GANNETT. ] WOODED AREAS, BY STATES. 13
CALIFORNIA.
Of the area of California 44,700 square miles are woodland. Nearly all this area is comprised in the northern half of the State. The forests cover the Coast Ranges from a little above the Bay of San Francisco to the State line, and cover the Sierra throughout its entire extent, with the exception of small areas above timber line. Some woodland, but not much, is found in the Coast Ranges and in the ranges of southern California. The wooded area comprises 22 per cent of the area of the State.
SUMMARY.
The foregoing figures are summarized in the following table: Wooded areas in the United States, by States.
Percent- sie Tes Ne Sq. miles. Marin CRs tyes 2 lea. erate aoe 23, 700 79 New Hampshire meet ae ena saee 5, 200 58 ViELINONG Ase ase ee ace eese ee ecee eee 3, 900 43 Massachusetts ....-......---------<--- 4, 200 52 hoder sian deeseeeeee renee eeeceeeae 400 40 COME GIIOM! coscoccadesasoocosaeqéads 1, 900 39 INGup iC kelecue masa cAstedeseso ceasencs 18, 700 39 ING WaJOLSC ypc a eee eee ee eereece 3, 234 43 Rennsylvaniaeeeeeeeee ee eee eee eae 23, 200 51 DMelawareyeneesee ease at SesieeeIsies 700 36 Maryland} sasseceec aa oath sscina aes oe 4, 400 44 Districtiof Columbia)-s2--- -se-ses-- 12 20 WAT SIMA eee 7.5 neon se eee ace See 23, £00 58 Wrest Virginia ’.5 = 22 sse 8 s-sacenn ace 18,400 | 73 NortuhiCarolinateeees eee eee eeereee es 35, 300 | 73 SouuhsCarolinaleeessn eee eee eee 20, 500 68 (CCOUME pp eeroenebad Secaan abeasarOoues 42, 000 71 IDG Rees Sep aain esos Heer eeee 37, 700 70 PAL alto cum aly eye ratene ateye ri ese cee ere ches 38, 300 74. Mississipplies seme sees siete -vacs ces 32, 300 70 IUOWISIEING) -occos sacs cocdeo Saou ecan sone 28, 300 62 ROX Geto Mere he ene aE 64, 000 24 AP KON BAS Safer stestae = aisle cine neces cee 45, 000 84 IG AHO S? SeGSa5 GacanbEeod socoeene aes 22, 200 55 MONNeSSCOrsae esas eas sane seeses ee cies 27, 300 65 Ohio feeeee sree mecae cepa e ss ssieses ses 9, 300 23 ENT an amet ete ea ja|ensine ocerere eies ce 10, 800 30 Tin Oise eters nels ene seacscee tacos 10, 200 18 WOON soos - coco pos nce sonesosooesee 38, 000 67 L
14 FOREST RESERVES.
Wooded areas in the United States, by States—Continued.
| | Percent-
State. | Potalwooded ac eof |
| |
Sq. miles. | | WWASCOOSIN 5 cco enbc00 sage Seca semoee oF 31, 750 _ 58 Minn es otaeeeeee a= ne ees esas aie eae 52, 200 66 MGS tesa oGuoad SocuSuS Ce eoneEEaoBdcoas | 7, 000 13 Missourig mae segee see Loess 41,000 60 NON, IDANKOUR sco cases coee56 Ge0s coos 600 1 South’ ako taeesssss esos eee 2, 500 3 ING bras kame ese ae ee trate eee teer| 2, 300 3 NGWEAS) 5555 coon caganacoonasasEsSeN Sane | 5, 700 a Indian Mlerritony=----------- --=------= 20, 000 65 OHI NOMN s ls ecks esse tseaeese sean ob00 4, 400 11 IMIOMIPIN, -o5s5 ses She ees osUeHo Ree cosS 42,000 | 29 BVWiy OMIT omen Sa Su es vena 12,500 ; 13 COMO MGCO asses sa se6ebs gnbbes Seuss Se0a| 33, 500 32 INOW WWOEI@Os 2556 d555 so56 oSeoue bSSEoS 23, 700 19 INDVAONG) coc5 a5Se Stccoske cSesss osaccens 25, 000 22 JUNEMSc sa bats es eee eee awesaelti a0), O00 13 WGEMNO s265 ccqosese cosecars soso Suen oods 35, 000 42 WASIIINGIOM 55 cose cose cceseaee season | 47,700 | 71 COR egitim | 54,300 | 57 MENG ia Cawenmeecye see sa-) 5 /o omareereeete 6, 100 | 6 (puGalitorniaweeesee i?! 0) Se 44, 700 22 1, 094, 496 | 37
The total is 37 per cent of the area of the country, excluding Alaska.
AMOUNT OF MERCHANTABLE STANDING TIMBER, AND SUMMARY AND SOURCES OF DATA.
Of the amount of standing timber of merchantable size—i. e., of the size commonly used at the mills—very little data have been published. It is true that estimates have been made in the interests of lumber dealers, railroads (of land grants), and States (for making selections), but in very few cases have these ‘“cruisings” been collected and the results digested and published. Most of the estimates of standing timber which have found their way into print are the merest guesses, and are not worth the paper they are printed on.
Cruisings made in the most careful manner by experienced men are often found to differ materially from one another. This may, however, be due to other causes than man’s fallibility. The standard of the mill practice differs greatly in different parts of the United States, and has differed widely at different times. For instance, in the Lake States trees are cut and sent to the mill which will square 8, or even
GANNETT] MERCHANTABLE STANDING TIMBER. 15
only 6 inches, and trees from which only one stick can be obtained are cut; while, on the other hand, in Oregon, Washington, and Cali- fornia the smallest tree which is cut must furnish at least two sticks, each of which must square at least 12 inches. The erniser’s practice, of course, follows the mill practice, and the result is that the cruiser’s estimates under Washington practice would show vastly less timber than if made under Michigan practice. An estimate of the standing timber in Washington made twenty-five years hence, when timber will have become scarce and the lumberman’s standard lowered, will doubtless show twice as much timber in the same area as if made to-day.
The first attempt to obtain the amount of standing timber in any considerable part of the United States was that of Prof. C.S. Sargent, ander the Tenth Census, in 1880. This was a pioneer work, and it gave us the first definite ideas concerning any portion of our resources in standing timber. His estimates were obtained for the most part by well-qualified experts, and are probably, as far as they go, approxima- tions to the truth. They were, however, confined to certain Coniferz in certain regions, no estimate being made of hard woods, and they were, with the exception of the redwoods of California, limited to portions of the Eastern forests. They were limited to saw timber—i. e., the timber sufficiently large and of suitable quality for the mill.
In 1896 the State fire warden of Minnesota, Gen. C. C. Andrews, published in his second annual report an estimate of the timber of that State, including not only the milling timber, but firewood as well. His method consisted, in the main, in obtaining from township and county officers estimates of the timbered areas and of the average stand. At about the same time Mr. C. A. Smith, a prominent lumberman of Min- neapolis, who has had a large part of the timbered regions of the State cruised in his interest, made a similar estimate, confining it, however, to the white and yellow pine of the State suitable for milling purposes. Tkis was based, doubtless, upon the cruisings in his possession, and the result differed widely from all other estimates.
In 1897 an estimate was made of the standing timber of Wisconsin by Mr. Filibert Roth, of the United States Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the geological survey of Wisconsin. It is not clear from his report, which was published as Bulletin 16 of the Division of Forestry, Department of Agriculture, what method was employed in obtaining his result, but presumably, to a large extent, it is a collection and digestion of actual cruisings.
Several estimates have been made of the redwoods of California, which occupy a narrow strip in the western part of the Coast Ranges north of the Bay of San Francisco. The first of these to be mentioned is that of Prof. C. S. Sargent, made in connection with his work for the Tenth Census, already mentioned; a second was made by the State board of forestry of California; and a third by Mr. A. C. Tibbetts, secretary of the Humboldt Lumber Manufacturers’ Association, and published in the Eleventh Census report upon forest industries.
16 FOREST RESERVES.
In the report just cited there is a table giving the areas of timbered lands and the stands of timber upon them which were in 1890 owned by manufacturers of lumber. The data are given by States, and include timbered area in acres, the total stand of merchantable timber, and the average stand per acre. These figures are, of course, by no means com- plete, since they include only a small part of the timbered land. The average stand per acre is necessarily that of picked timber land, and is by no means an average of the timbered land in the State, and there- fore, as an aid in discovering the total amount of timber in the country or in any State, they have little value.
The above paragraphs summarize all the sources of information known to me relating to the statistics of standing timber in this country. There are doubtless figures relating to small areas, scattered about in fugitive form, which might be used, but I am persuaded that any such figures would add little to our knowledge.
The following table contains a summary of the information derived from the above sources. It is arranged by States, by species of timber, and by authorities, and is placed in this form in order to bring together different estimates of the same thing, the figures being given in millions of feet B. M.
Estimates of merchantable standing timber.
State. Species. Authority. Seniors et WIE) oo acda 56 cococe coso|) NANI) Obe)6 | Rob osopcoccs Sargent, 1880 -- ~AT5 SPMD sacodesesod sess cccalloosse does 5, 000 New Hampshire -.-----..-.|----- CREB eedodianehocs fae noose doce setes 1,510 iHemlocks ees seer eee phe Re OSes 165 Hard wood, including fire- |----- GD 56000506 33, 750 wood.
Wiermontieseee emesis eet SJORWOO passdb sbe coe odeddallsscec 6D) Es S05n05 755
New York: (Adirondack region) .-..| White pine.......---.----|.-..- CW sosceees 320 SPORUCO boscsesoeso sees cocalloooos Gl) Ssebe6e5 5, 000 IMemilock os Sacee ce seas seer dor sssce: 3, 000 Hard wood, including fire- |..-..do -..----- 6, 400
wood.
Pennsylvania --..-.------ Wihite\pine== see eeseee ees pene Glo) oaanspec 1, 800 Hemlocks .c2)- soe eee eee domeeeeeee | 4,500 West) Virginia... ---.---- AWAITS) JON) 555 oocds5 soSso0||esocs (Kye oasesel 990 | Michigan’ -------.-----.-- so csaGl® sachs ck costes asessa||sece = Coles eases 35, 000 la Wilscome trices serene Sees et Cee aA SeAnOnRSScolsansS @O <sseseea|) Zh Oo soba G0) soeecescesecosoescs|| INOW, 1897. -.--| 15, 000 NOB WEY WING) > sboomoeaed salloscoe G1) s sconasell 2, 300 | Ja) We Rae eet eats e| laopas dosesaeeee * 41, 700 | Hlardswi0o0dernsseeae se eeeeel eee Gls ea .comdee 16, 000 Minnesota-.---.---------- Wihitekpineseaee-ee eee Sargent, 1880..| 8, 170 ae do ....--..-------.---| Andrews, 1896 .| 16, 849
GANNETT.) MERCHANTABLE STANDING TIMBER. 17
Estimates of merchantable standing timber—Continued.
State. Species. Authority. enone of
Minnesotareeaeeeeeeeeee INOG Wa ye pIN@ meses sree Andrews, 1896 -| 3, 417 Other Coniferz......-.-..|.-... do/2Ssosee 7, 250
Hard wood, including fire- |--.-- dowieeeeeres 107, 000
wood.
| White and Norway pine ..| Smith, 1896....| 40, 000
North Carolina -....-..--. Long-leaved pine. ........| Sargent, 1880..| 5, 229 South Carolina .......--..|----- @® csdooce sodsjsans ob00][adaae GID) Gosbosad 5, 316 Georgi alee eee cminsee eee |eeae GO econo shite ccen esesselloroce Coyeee seis 16, 778 IMGMGA, soasosacccegueeeee [beweites dows see ctee tot cesee yeas GD): Sbaensus 6, 615 JN DETING, wchcousesoeoosbede le pees GO) Sapo dcsoashoncacesallesaee Gy sasenece 18, 885 | Short-leaved NS Ash eesdllcoase Gli Sasaseee 2, 307
‘Mississippi ..-.--..----.-- Long-leaved pine. -...-.-- ae dopeenies: 18, 200 Short-leaved pine. --.----.|-.-.- Gkiies nadods 6, 775
Louisiana ..-.-..........- Long-leaved pine. ---.---- lpesaaclnnseeaste 26, 588 Short-leaved pine ....-.-.|-...-. dojeeeneae- 21, 625
BIGh ES cabacoponsdasouebeee Long-leaved pine. -.--..--.|---.- CM ce S6e085 20, 508 Short-leaved pine --..-.-.|....- GW so'scaces 26, 093 oblollivgpinesereae see eees | eee Gk)" So esedee 20, 907
Arkansas. ......-.-.-.-.-.| Short-leaved pine. -....--.- (sesae doe sees 41,315 Calitormiapeeeesss eens ee Redwood! erecerecee.= eee ese Gla) aA dccaas 25, 825 Songs do ................-..| State board of | 30,500
| forestry, 1885. saa08 G® aseasccoccogco speos|| TMS WEI AI > Orel)
White pine is found in allthe New England States and in New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and West Virginia. In southern New England—i. e., Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut—the original growth has been practically cut away, leaving only second-growth pine, little of which is of sufficient size for the mill. Of the other States, it will be seen that Professor Sargent makes no estimate of the amount in New Hampshire or Vermont. On the basis of the figures given by Sargent and quoted above, he estimated that in eight years the supply of white pine would be gone. Since then eighteen years have elapsed, and the supply of white pine, as indicated by its price in the market, has not materially diminished. Although in these eighteen years an amount greater than that which Sargent esti- mated to be standing in 1880 has been cut, the amount still standing is, from all appearances, quite as large as his estimate made in 1880. In 1897 Mr. Fernow, of the Department of Agriculture, hazarded a guess concerning the amount of pine standing at that time, from which he estimated that it would last seven years more.
In Maine an amount fully equal to the estimated amount given by Sargent as standing in 1880 has since been cut, and the annual cut shows no appreciable diminution.
19 GEOL, Pt V——2
18 FOREST RESERVES.
While in 1880 Professor Sargent estimated that there were standing in the three States of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota only 84,000 — million feet of white pine, there were cut from these States in the suc- ceeding sixteen years not less than 121,000 million feet, and the best estimates which we have at present indicate that there still remains at least as much in these States as was reported to be standing in 1880.
A comparison of the estimates of white pine in Minnesota, made, respectively, by Sargent, Andrews, and Smith, shows that after sixteen years’ cutting in the State, Andrews found twice as much white pine in 1896 as the estimated amount in 1880, while Mr. Smith’s estimate, made at the same time as General Andrews’s, is double that of the latter. Owing to the fact that Mr. Smith based his. estimate largely upon actual cruisings of the pine land, it is altogether probable that his estimate is much nearer the truth than the others.
Opinions of lumbermen differ widely regarding the probable time of exhaustion of the white-pine supply, but the consensus of opinion seems to be that within twenty-five or thirty years white pine will become so scarce as to be no longer a factor of importance in the lumber industry. At present the cut shows little diminution, but the fact that lumbermen are searching the country for substitutes for white pine is significant.
The total amount of long-leaved pine in the nine Southern States given by Sargent is 118,119 million feet; that of short-leaved pine, 98,115 million feet; that of loblolly pine, 20,907 million feet; a total of the three species of 237,141 million feet.
The estimates of the redwood of California, as will be seen, differ very widely, ranging from 25,825 to 97,505 million feet. This is well known to be the densest forest in North America—indeed, in all prob- ability, considering the amount of merchantable timber contained therein, upon the globe. Single acres have been known to yield a million and a half feet of lumber, and single trees to cut as much as 100,000 feet.
In the report of the State forestry commission of California, above quoted, the area of effective redwocd land is given as approximately 1,000,000 acres. If this statement of area be correct it follows that the average amount of redwood timber upon this land, according to Sargent’s estimate, is about 25,000 feet per acre, and according to the estimate of the commission, 30,000 feet per acre. Neither of these is a large yield. There are many townships in western Washington and Oregon containing far more than this amount, and yet these forests, although dense, are not regarded as extraordinary in this respect, On the other hand, accepting the redwood area as above given, the esti- mate furnished by Mr. Tibbetts would give nearly 100,000 feet per acre as an average. This would indicate a very large product, but in all probability it is nearer the truth than the other estimates.
The work of the last season under this organization has resulted in furnishing statistics of standing timber over areas aggregating 181,300
GANNETY. | MERCHANTABLE STANDING TIMBER. 19
Square miles, which may be enumerated as follows: Washington, - Oregon, northern Idaho, a portion of the Bitterroot Forest Reserve in Montana, the Teton and a part of the Yellowstone Park forest reserves, the Bighorn Forest Reserve of Wyoming, the Black Hills Forest Reserve of South Dakota, the San Francisco Forest Reserve of Arizona, and the San Jacinto, San Gabriel, and San Bernardino forest reserves of south- ern California. The amounts in the several areas are as follows, in mil- lions of feet B. M.:
Standing timber in certain regions of western United States.
Locality. Siending igi Wrashine tone csncteneeme tee ceseceees ness 114, 778 OWN naa6hq qooocs Sabine adeceo BoabeTeacsEceS 234, 653 JDGS LRA EP IESE @ageces coda ceoeoauaobEuEEeS 1, 904 Northern Idaho, excluding Priest River Re-
REIAVE. cese.cacc.sccade 6465.5055 cane eeoeRcGeHeE 1, 696 Bitterroot Reserve, Montana portion.....- dace 1, 022 Bighorn Reserve, Wyoming..-.-----..--..---- 210 Teton Reserve, Wyoming .-.-.-. ooaeesd csa5cai6 15 Black Hills Reserve, South Dakota........-.-- 1, 502 San Francisco Forest, Arizona ............-..- 8, 100 San Jacinto Reserve, southern California...... 98 San Gabriel Reserve, southern California.-..-. 60 San Bernardino Reserve, southern California... 479
| These will be discussed fully in the following part of this report and in the detailed reports of my assistants.
CONSUMPTION OF TIMBER IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN THE CORDILLERAN REGION.
Statistics of the consumption of timber in the United States have been obtained only by the Census Office, the latest being those of 1890. The principal items of forest products, as returned by that census, are as follows:
Principal forest products of the United States in 1890.
Description. | Amount. Value. Sawed lumber............ million feet B. M.. 23, 500 $267, 000, 000 | Oss Seat eae sas ceeeseee eee donee: 1, 445 10, 500, 000 Telegraph poles .-..:-..--..-.-- thousands. . 117 200, 000 Bence) posts)=ioe see aeete wee aoe ates ee doy 4,723 400, 000 GES eek neae coca acess soSuee eopoccecs dozacs 5, 496 1, 600, 000 I ea cope nbsosaDGoooa Sabeda Ss AGEEeee doze = 158 300, 000 Shingles). scs esses ease woke ace domes 9, 275 17, 000, 000 PUNE acdeea Sacdoa sccouseD sea5 SoLGsEe domes), 151785552 7, 800, 000 Headings is -coane wena eee eeeees dozens 182, 700 4, 900, 000 Mia thste oe Sen) 4. eee wee ee emcees dose aal 2° 263" 300 3, 500, 000
20 FOREST RESERVES.
The above, with the addition of a few other items, give a total value of $403,700,000. To this is to be added the item of fuel, of nearly equal value. Statistics regarding fuel consumption were collected in 1880 by Prof. C. 8. Sargent, in connection with the Tenth Census. His investi- gation showed that on an average each inhabitant of the country con- sumed approximately 2.8 cords of fuel per annum. Applying this to the population of 1890 gives a total consumption of about 180,000,000 cords. The average value per cord in 1880 was $2.20, which we may assume has remained unchanged, thus giving a total value to the annual supply of fuel of $396,000,000. This, added to the other items, gives a total of about $800,000,000 as the value of the forest product of the country, an amount slightly in excess of its mineral production.
The total amount of sawed lumber consumed in the country was, as stated in the table above, 23,500 million feet B. M. The timber to supply this demand must fulfill certain conditions of size and quality— conditions which differ greatly under present practices in different parts of the country. On the Pacific coast the standard for saw tim- ber is extremely high. Trees which will not square 12 inches and furnish at least two lengths are not at present considered as furnishing saw lumber, and the waste from the trees which are cut for lumber is enormous. On the other hand, in the eastern lumber regions, and even in the Rocky Mountain country, trees which will square as low as 6 inches, are being cut for lumber.
For poles, ties, rails, and other minor uses lumber is cut, and to a considerable extent the waste of the saw timber is utilized for certain of these purposes.
But the great item of timber consumption is firewood. The above estimate of the annual consumption of firewood, reduced to feet B. M., so as to make it comparable with the sawmill consumption, shows that we burn for heating and manufacturing purposes not less than 180,000 million feet B. M., an amount seven times as great as that used in the sawmill and four times as great as is used for all other purposes. It must be remembered, however, that most of the firewood supply con- sists of timber which is not and can not be suitable, in species, size, or quality, for the mill. This fact is insured by the relative prices of the two qualities, since wood suitable for milling purposes brings a much higher price than for firewood.
The question is immediately raised whether the supply of wood suit- able for fuel, and for fuel only, is in excess of the amount suitable for the mill proportionally to the relative demand for the two. To that the answer may be made in general that it is amply sufficient; that in all regions of the country the supply of wood suitable for fuel only is in excess of its relative demand.
GANNETT. ] CONSUMPTION OF TIMBER. 21
CONSUMPTION OF TIMBER IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN AND PACIFIC STATES.
It is of the consumption in the above States that we are especially interested in this report. Lumber, being a very bulky product, is sel- dom transported far from its region of production. So far as possible the supply is obtained from near-by sources. Especially is this true where the only transportation available is by rail, the rates for which are well-nigh prohibitory to commerce in this commodity.
The following table summarizes the condition of the lumber industry in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific States:
Condition of the lumber industry in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific States.
[In millions of feet. B.M.]}
State. Pumper Lumber. Fuel. Total. ATIZON Ae eee saysee seine seen ees 4 10.8 252 262.8 Califormiane ss ssesne ese ote ee ee 221 519 2,416 2, 995 Coloradorsscar saee sess sense nee 109 09) ~ 906 985 Td ahOlecee see seco yas ees ene ee 41 18.9 252 270.9 Montanareonsacssee ce ses ne eee eee 30 90 396 486 Nova weepnee su note ec ear uy e gehen (Beeepeset 115 115 WOK? WIGEIOO scocdcuccan ssenes soaese 26 26.3 216 242.3 Ores oneness isan eacei cere eee 300 493 | 880 1, 373 SouthyDakotanes---eeeee tee een eee 41 22.8 | 1,050 1, 072.8 Witenes ei erase tet ae ate } eo 14. 4 250 264. 4 WOSMINGIO soos boecesocecce acco cane | 310 1, 156 875 2, 031 WiylOMin pie tees eo iw eros eeeiees 17 | 6.3 122 128.3 Ro tal Metta os saat ey | 1, 129 | 2,436.5 | 7,730 | 10, 226.5
It will be seen from the above table that the lumber cut in the Rocky Mountain States is small—in some of the States absolutely trifling— and that in most of them the consumption of wood is almost entirely confined to that used for fuel; indeed, the consumption of lumber in the sawmills of all the Rocky Mountain States together is little more than half that of California or Oregon, less than a fourth that of Washington, and but one-eighth that of the three Pacific States taken together. The total cut of lumber for sawmills in the West is but one- tenth that of the United States, and is trifling when compared with the
supply.
22 FOREST RESERVES.
The following table exhibits the growth of the lumber industry in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific States between 1870 and 1890, as shown by the reports of the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh censuses:
Lumber industry in Rocky Mountain and Pacific States in 1870, 1880, and 1890.
State or Territory. Year. Rote Capital. Cosy SEM vane of INSANE ooo a56 ota 5505 1870 1 $5, 000 $1, 600 $10, 000 1880 13 102, 000 132, 000 216, 000
1890 4 213, 000 127, 000 249, 000
California.....--..... 1870 291 | 3,856,000 | 1, 986, 000 | 5, 227, 000 1880 251 | 6,455,000 | 2, 243, 000 | 4, 229, 000
1890 221 | 15, 834,000 | 4,356,000 | 8, 454, 000
Coloradoze ee sense =ee 1870 32 133, 000 117, 000 324, 000 1880 96 481, 000 700, 000 | 1, 051, 000
1890 109 839, 000 610, 000 | 1, 172, 000
Dakota ..-.......-..-| 1870 10 37, 000 33, 000 72, 000 1880 39 114, 000 282, 000 436, 000
1890 46 370, 000 217, 000 452, 000
IGEN ING) sconce ooeceeneaS 1870 | 10 51, 000 20, 000 57, 000 1880 48 192, 000 231, 000 350, 000
1890 41 420, 000 187, 000 430, 000
Montan desserts eaiee 1870 31 146, 000 172, 000 431, 000 1880 36 208, 000 278, 000 528, 000
1890 30 331, 000 547,000 | 1, 178, 000
New Mexico..-....... 1870 12 47, 000 40, 000 | 121, 000 1880 26 | 75, 000 117, 000 174, 000
1890 26 193, 000 172,000 | 390, 000
OREGON sobsscrones dane 1870 165 | 913, 000 358, 000 | 1, 014, 000 1880 "298 | 1,578,000 | 1,331, 000 | 2, 030, 000
1890 300 | 7,543,000 | 2,979,000 | 5, 995, 000
Utah..... jescdecu'saod 1870 95 338, 000 266, 000 661, 000 1880 107 273, 000 238, 000 375, 000
1890 30 197, 000 127, 000 235, 000
Washington.......... 1870 46 | 1,285,000 | 580,000 | 1, 307, 000 1880 37 | 2,456,000 | 1,188,000 | 1,735, 000
1890 310 | 19, 445,000 | 7,930, 000 |15, 068, 000
AWay@nminye? 6-5 6555005 1870 8 | 110, 000 99, 000 268, 000 1880 7 27, 000 27, 000 41, 000
1890 17 160, 000 52, 000 125, 000
cai ae I
FORESTS OF THE WEST.
The forests of the Rocky Mountain region and the Pacific coast are characterized by an almost entire absence of deciduous trees. Indeed, almost all tree growth available for lumber is composed of Conifere, consisting of pines, firs, spruces, hemlocks, cedars, and larches.
GANNETT. ] FORESTS OF THE WEST. 23
The distribution of tree growth here, as everywhere else, is a func- tion of rainfall. Where this is less than a certain amount—say 20 inches annually—no species of trees can flourish. The species which can bear the least rainfall are the pinon pine and the juniper. Where the rainfall is greater, other species find it possible to exist. Thus, in going from a region of small rainfall toward a region of great rainfall, one passes through areas occupied by different species, from the pinon and juniper, through quaking aspen, yellow and lodgepole pine, to red fir, spruce, and cedar. Since throughout the Rocky Mountain region the rainfall is least in the valleys, and generally at low levels, the forests are, except near the Pacific coast, confined almost entirely to the higher plateaus and the mountains.
Thus, a rainfall map is in a general way a forest map; and in the Rocky Mountain region, since rainfall is more abundant at the higher elevations, a relief map is, in like manner, a forest map.
Much is known regarding the general distribution of the forests of the West, and of the species of timber, largely because the forests accompany the rainfaJl closely, and therefore have a direct relation to the relief of the country; and, moreover, because of the numerous explorations and surveys which have been carried on in the West under the auspices of the General Government.
The following general description may help the reader to understand the forest conditions of this region:
In South Dakota the forests are confined to the Black Hills, where they consist almost entirely of yellow pine. They are mainly open for- ests, of no great density, and with little undergrowth. In certain parts, and especially toward the south, the timber scatters out greatly, leav- ing large open parks.
In Montana the forests are confined almost entirely to the western half of the State, and therein mainly to the mountains. ‘They increase in density westward and northward, becoming densest upon the Bitter- root Range, the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, and the numer- ous ranges lying between them. The timber in this region consists of red fir, yellow pine, white pine, and tamarack. Southward from this region the character of the forest changes, being composed largely, if not mainly, of lodgepole pine.
In Wyoming the densest forests are found in the western corner, including Yellowstone Park and the country east and south thereof. The principal forest tree over this region is lodgepole pine, of small size and of little economic importance. It is densest within the Yellow- stone Park and becomes sparse eastward and southward. The Bighorn Mountains are sparsely timbered, bodies of timber alternating with open parks, so that not more than half of the plateau-like summit of the range is wooded.
The only other wooded areas in the State are near the southern border, where the great Colorado ranges project north of the State line, and upon these the timber is small and scanty.
24 FOREST RESERVES.
In Colorado timber is confined almost entirely to the high mountains and the high plateaus at their western base, the mountain vaileys and parks being without forests. The timber is nowhere large or dense. It consists, in the main, of red fir, yellow pine, Engelmann spruce, and lodgepole pine.
In New Mexico the high mountain ranges and plateaus are timbered, but nowhere densely. The principal forests are upon the southern end of the San Juan Range, where it projects into this Territory, upon the Sangre de Cristo Range, and in the region of high plateaus west of the Rio Grande, in Socorro County. The timber consists of Engelmann spruce, red fir, and yellow pine.
In Arizona the principal body of timber is the San Francisco Forest, which is described somewhat fully further on in this report. Itis an open forest of good-sized yellow pine, with little or no underbrush. A similar forest is found upon the high plateau on both sides of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. The ranges south of the Colorado Plateau, about the heads of the Gila, contain some timber, but none of impor- tance.
In Utah the only timber of consequence is found in the Uinta Range, in the northeast corner of the State. Upon the Wasatch Range the timber is small and scattering.
In Nevada there is but a trifling amount of timber. The timber belt of the Sierra Nevada extends over a small area in the western part, while elsewhere the only arborescent growth is near the summits of the narrow desert ranges. >
The northern part of Idaho is heavily timbered, as is fully described in a paper in this report by Mr. Leiberg. This heavy body of timber extends down through the Bitterroot Reserve and gradually thins out south of Salmon River. There is a little timber in the southeastern part, but this is not of importance except for local purposes.
The portion of Washington west of the summit of the Cascade Range was formerly entirely covered with dense forests of great trees—firs, spruce, cedar, and hemlock—although a large proportion of it, nearly half, has been destroyed either by cutting or by burning. The eastern slope of the Cascades is less heavily timbered, but is not an unimpor- tant source of forest products. East of the Cascade Range and north of the Columbia is a region whose forests are only second in density to those of western Washington. The timber in this region consists mainly of white and yellow pine, with some red fir.
In Oregon we find much the same sort of distribution as in Wash- ington. West of the summit of the Cascade Range the forests are dense and very productive, consisting of the same species as in Washington, with the addition in the southern part of a little sugar pine and yellow pine. The eastern slope of the Cascade Range is much less heavily forested, although the timber, which here consists of yellow pine almost exclusively, extends far out on the plateau. In
GANNETT. ] FORESTS OF THE WEST. 25
the northeastern portion of the State are the Blue Mountains, whose forests consist largely of yellow pine, covering enormous areas with a rather light growth.
In California the Coast Ranges, from the Oregon boundary nearly down to the Bay of San Francisco, are well forested, mainly with red- wood, red fir, and yellow and sugar pine. Into the northern part of this area spruce and hemlock extend southward from Oregon. Upon the west slope of the Sierra are found, mainly between altitudes of 4,000 to 8,000 feet, enormous quantities of sugar pine, which here grows to great size, yellow pine, and red fir, with occasional groves of Sequoia gigantea. In the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto moun- tains are small areas forested with yellow pine, among which are inter- spersed a few sugar pines.
MAP SHOWING THE WOODLANDS AND FORESTS OF THE WEST.
A map (PI. IT) showing the extent and distribution of woodland in the Cordilleran region has been compiled from a variety of sources, as follows: i
Manuscript atlas sheets of the United States Geological Survey. Wherever the topographic surveys of this organization have been car- ried on the woodland has been mapped with as great accuracy as pos- sible. These surveys have been extended over an area of 250,000 Square miles in various parts of the West.
The maps of the Powell Survey, covering the whole of Utah and northern Arizona.
The Hayden Survey. By this organization were mapped the moun- tain region of Colorado, the adjacent portions of Utah and N ew Mex- ico, and a large detached area in western Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, and northeastern Utah, a total area of about 100,000 square miles.
The Wheeler Survey, which has mapped large areas, mainly in the Southwest.
Cruisings and maps prepared by railroad, wagon road, and lumber companies in Oregon and Washington, including the work done by the Northern Transcontinental Survey along the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Reports of the State Forestry Board of California.
The work of the Biological Survey of the Department of Agriculture.
The reports and maps made by the forestry agents of this office dur- ing the last season.
Notes and sketches by J B. Leiberg, W. T. Griswold, myself, and others concerning areas heretofore unpublished.
The colors upon the map indicate the areas occupied by arborescent vegetation, but do not include areas covered with brush.
An attempt has been made to separate those areas which are covered with timber suitable for mill purposes, and which may therefore be known as merchantable timber, from such as bear timber suitable only
26 FOREST RESERVES.
for firewood, rails, and such inferior uses. That such a distinction is imperfectly made goes without saying, but it is believed that the result is approximately correct.
FOREST CONDITIONS AND STANDING TIMBER OF WASH- INGTON.
With the exception of the redwoods of California, the forests of Washington are the densest, heaviest, and most continuous in the United States. Except for a few prairie openings, and except where removed by fire or the ax, they cover the country as a thick mantle from high up on the Cascade Range westward to the shores of the Pacific. In all this region only the Olympics rear a few summits above the forests. Net only are the forests dense overhead, but the undergrowth is dense and tangled beneath. The trees are large, reaching 12 to 15 feet in diameter and 250 feet in height, with clear trunks for 100 or more feet. The timber is mainly red or yellow fir (Pseudotsuga tavifolia), mingled with spruce, hemlock, and cedar.
The amount of standing timber in this region has long been a matter of interest, and many wild guesses have been hazarded. As usual in such cases, most of them have been far above the truth. With no data on which to base an estimate the tendency is to exaggerate.
Finding the material ready at hand for obtaining a fairly reliable estimate, requiring only the work of bringing it together and digest- ing it, [ have undertaken this work.
Statistics derived from cruisings recently made have been obtained from all parts of the State, and especially from the heavily timbered portion lying west of the Cascade Range. The sources of this infor- mation are as follows:
The Northern Pacific Railroad Company, which has made most elab- orate cruisings of that part of its land grant situated west of the Cas- cade Range, has with great liberality furnished an abstract of all the information in its possession regarding timber lands, including not only the statistics of standing timber but maps showing the areas at present forested, those naturally unforested, those which have been cut over, and those which have been burned. These statistics have been com- piled and the maps prepared by Messrs. John M. Rankine and George H. Plummer, of the Northern Pacific Railroad office. The commis- sioner of the State land office has furnished abstracts of all cruisings made for the selection of lands for the State. Besides the above, sev- eral lumber companies and owners of timber land have placed their information at the disposal of this office.
Altogether I have collected the cruisings of 1,679,402 acres. Most of these are in the portion of the State west of the crest of the Cas- cades, although the eastern slope of the mountains is represented to some extent, and there is a large area cruised in Stevens County, in the northeastern part of the State.
From these data, together with the examinations of the Washington
GANNETT. ] FORESTS OF WASHINGTON. 27
Reserve, I have estimated the total amount of standing timber in the State to be in the neighborhood of 114,778 million feet B. M. Of this amount more than six-sevenths, or 104,500 million feet, are west of the crest of the Cascades, the remainder, 10,000 million feet, being upon its eastern slope and in the northern and eastern portion of the State. This total is much less than that estimated for Oregon, a fact which I explain by the following considerations: (1) The wooded area is not so great, that of Oregon being 54,300 square miles, that of Washington 47,700 square miles; (2) a considerable part of Washington, in the Cascade Range and the Olympic Mountains, is at a great altitude, upon which the timber is very scattering; (3) much of the eastern slope of the Cascade Range, especially in Okanogan County, is covered with a very Sparse growth of timber, although it appears as timber land; (4) the lumber industry in Washington has been, especially in recent years, much more important than in Oregon, and consequently a much larger area has been cut and burned.
The distribution of the lumber trees of Washington is simple: West of the Cascade Range the country, with the exception of the high mountains, is occupied in the main by four species—red fir (Pseudotsuga taxifolia), cedar (Thuja plicata), hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), and spruce (Picea sitchensis). The forests west of the higher part of the Cascades are composed of 64 per cent of fir, 16 per cent of cedar, 14 per cent of hemlock, and 6 per cent of spruce. Toward the coast the proportions of cedar and spruce increase.
Upon the mountains the fir disappears, and hemlock and cedar, espe- cially the former, increase greatly in proportion. In this region the fir is by far the most valuable tree, and, while other species occurring with the fir are used, areas which do not contain fir are regarded at present as of novalue. High up in the mountains only subalpine species occur. East of the mountains the timber consists almost entirely of lodgepole and yellow pine, with some white pine in Stevens County, in the northeastern part of the State. A little fir also is found at the eastern base of the range, scattered through the pine forests.
The following table gives the estimated amount of merchantable timber in each county, in thousands of feet B. M., as at present esti- timated by lumbermen. If it were cut under the practice which pre- vaiis at present, these figures represent a close approximation to the amount which would be realized. There is no question, however, but that, as in the case of the eastern white pine, a much larger amount will ultimately be realized, for several reasons:
First, the standard will certainly be lowered, so that instead of utilizing only one-third of the tree two-thirds may be used, and many small trees now destroyed by fire in the culled areas will be cut; sec- ond, species not now used may come into the market; third, areas now considered inaccessible will serve as sources of supply; fourth, the new growth on cut and burned areas will reach merchantable size long before the old growth is exhausted.
28 FOREST RESERVES.
In illustration of the difference between the supply as viewed by the Washington lumbermen and the actual amount, take the figures given by Mr. Ayres in his report on the western part of the Washington Reserve. Under Washington practice he found but 400 million feet in that area, consisting of red fir. But under the Minnesota practice, and estimating the contents of all species without regard to accessibility, he found not less than 14,400 million feet. This is, of course, an extreme case, but it is probably parallefed throughout the Cascade Range and in the Olympics.
Merchantable timber in the State of Washington, by counties.
Counties. a | jterchan te | Counties. evcrohent | Million feet | | Million feet B. M. B.u.
JNO WIN Soeoanccbstosseeasoss 81 IGENOOEN so tocecossos ecco sono] 14 Chehalise a eee 18,579". ||“ Mason ese seeeenn eens 2,091 Clallameenesee seer ere zoca|| “ChOrP Okanoganteeepes sense eee 2, 665 Clarketey caspase eens | 2,342 IEG BI) Coa noG6 5 docbed cosbed 7, 813 Columbiaeepseseaar ease ee= | 243 IE K)scoo cosacs soeoee cosas 6, 520 Cowlitz ete eee seen see ees | 5,216 Skagit. ccnse sees eee 10, 362 Dour laste eee eese ese eens: 31) |S Skananiapessssesse ase aeeee 4, 661 WELT ye =/Se see eee ee ee | 1667 Snohomish=s=se=s=s==Pe aes 7, 709 Garfield sey sae eee as | 170 | Spokane essere esas 766 USIEMG! soos oc5sses0=2 sede S500 430) pe Stevens pees =s=nee rene eee 2,702 Jettersonie snes eee eee 4230) 91 ee bhurstonees esse eee | 2, 787 Keine 2 eee eels 7,644 || Wabkiakum...........-.--. | 9974 Kitsap co pee eee ae | 4,141 | 1Wralla wall je eee enone 5 Kittitas eeseeeeeeseee acer. | 1,260 | Wihaiticompeess ese aeeeneeee 1, 346 Kilickitateansseseeees esses 743 | Wihitmanttees=- essere eres 35 He wis sseesee enon aaa [87586 6] Welkcin sl eeeyaeee eee eae aeee 893
a The counties omitted contain no merchantable timber.
The counties lying between the crest of the Cascade Range and the Pacific coast have been examined with greater thoroughness than those in the eastern part of the State, and can be described more fully. The cruisings, however, which have been obtained relate only to the portions of the counties occupied by fir timber, other portions being regarded by the cruisers, as stated above, as having no present value for lumber purposes; hence the following facts and figures relate only to the portion of the State lying west of the crest of the Cascade Range, and ignore all the timber in the higher portions of the Cascade Range and the Olympic Mountains; to that extent the presentations concern- ing the counties of Clallam, Jefferson, Chehalis, Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King, Pierce, Lewis, Cowlitz, and Skamania are incom- plete in this regard. As viewed by the lumbermen’s practice in western Washington at the present time, the tables accompanying the following county descriptions give the amount of timber of each of
GANNETT.] FORESTS OF WASHINGTON. 29
the four species represented, with the total stumpage of the county, the areas of merchantable timber, those cut and burned, and those naturally devoid of timber.
CHEHALIS COUNTY.
This county borders upon the Pacific coast, and on the north extends far up into the Olympic Mountains. The northern portion of the county is so high and rugged as to contain little or no merchantable timber, and in other portions of the county are numerous small prairie tracts. Aside from these areas the county was originally heavily forested, mainly with fir in the interior and with spruce and cedar upon the coast. There have been few fires in this county, and the burned area is trifling. Lumbering has, however, been carried on extensively upon the streams flowing into Grays Harbor, and especially upon Chehalis River, nearly one-tenth of the timbered area of the county having been denuded of its forests.
Area of timbered and other lands in Chehalis County, Washington.
Sq. miles. otal area sees wan ae seem ces us 2 Sean Coen eeatitei tesa ns aceatecs oovecle 2,104 Merchantableyuimberanedeacercseecee aaa ee fone aia ocsec eae essa cea 1, 360 ILO ECT ORI, Cs seco cosas onbotadbed aad S5Uace BHEoES dhateas ooSccaoCeSemceEoceae 130 Naturallyabaroraneaecer saace ae tas eee eloce ese eee eee eee ee eece 47 ITEP VERNEEY Ren od BEe OAS OE SESH EE SE OS SA DOS AIRBAG He BESO She eS S SB SeaeSeea ses 36 Estimate of timber in Chehalis County, Washington. M feet B. M. TID oe eae Baan Beran eanG SC OCEG BETS HOSEED ROBES HEnG COCR Bene reser eS ereaes 9, 799, 418 DDEUCO wes sennyeteias = ate see aioe eee ecete ae se cee siamese ere ee ejeeee secs 3, 068, 307 (OGGENP c= ccacitns chan Bbebogos onbese cano cob GES SasSEaOSnU SGbNSe EApe bose uESE 3, 474, 350 TIGNES aR Oke com eta Qaeeeb bead Soe REE eeEnes DAES SA Soo EaeSeCOse asa sees 2, 236, 983 TNE oe Sook eb eeS SoS eR SDR Oe ROBESH COU RANAD BODO RASA Ghote Ae SMe re ete 18, 579, 058 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M...--..-.---.------------ 21, 300
CLALLAM COUNTY.
This county occupies the northern part of the Olympic Peninsula. The southern portion of the county comprises a part of the Olympic Mountains, and 1s not regarded as containing any timber of present merchantable value. The remainder of the county was heavily forested, but the ax has made inroads in these forests along the shores of Puget Sound as far west as Crescent Bay, and fires have extended inland from these cuttings to the mountains, destroying considerable areas of tim- ber. The western part of the county is still an unbroken forest.
The forests of this county are remarkable in the fact that they con- tain a large proportion of hemlock, the amount of this tree being larger than that of the red fir.
Area of timbered and other lands in Clallam County, Washington.
Sq. miles. Mots bareay gasses a gs scis Ao svoee aie sSsiee ae ee oes oneal se eee awieee nance = 1, 824 Moerchantaploytim ber area ps4 acne jae Sas eninante 2 Soe tee are sates a eee eee 900 LUMO! ONCD cose oned soocos cae cee bseesanbo Saad anon Sao SaSy Sees seh coEnoN SEeE 117
RUTNCAV ALCOA amen sacs e Soren ate ose es aia ete ee ea oti awie a se eee melresbekeeeae 151
30 FOREST RESERVES.
Estimate of timber in Clallam County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
JOT pe SeGhU RELaE cbocor caod elas adde Gogooobe sand ebansoudeuSsdecqscSnuaocES 3, 045, 297 SORIKEG) 26565 so6c55 Sans Soeose c6sc00 coe cees basee5 e550 BS56 950656 ss65 550556 1, 758, 845 (COG? enecesnbeoce ccases ce00 6556 soe cea pons seas ages oNSHSs Ao54 cess sesSuece 547, 617 Hemlock. =----------- cece ee eens eee een eee eee ee eee eee eee 3, 719, 840 ANON 6 Ssocenn eSessehe cone sadees CHeeNS SHso DSSS coesESOd Sood ESN CEOS 9, 071, 599 Average per acre of timbered iand, in feet B. M---. .------.---.---------- 15, 700
CLARKE COUNTY.
This county lies in the southwestern part of the State, bordering on the south and west upon Columbia River. Originally it was entirely covered with heavy forests with the exception of a few small prairie tracts.
But little timber has been cut in the county, lumbering being princi- pally confined to the line of the Portland, Vancouver and Northern Railroad, and, on the other hand, the timber upon two-thirds of the county has been destroyed by fire, the burned areas lying principally in the south and west parts of the county, leaving large bodies of for- est in the eastern part.
The forest consists almost exclusively of fir, there being very little cedar and hemlock and no spruce whatever.
Area of timbered and other lands in Clarke County, Washington.
Sq. miles
TUES Secsco cscocuscecuScoSads boREnboSaa saaccnooSd coo SSoonsess sogsecSdesas 648 _ Merchantable timber area...--..--------------- SABC OSAO OE eRe CAA S dao ceao Gobd 192 Mog ged sareayeeee mace. cine - sense oe 2 sem ole ann ea inl eam) le melanie 25 Naturally bare area...--..--- SURED CREE REER Ben DoSESoneep pOSBLesEeh eubecusaaaoo 10 TRUER! PRE, cooocs cad See coueec coNCES 8ad068 SE De baSdoaDScSooSSSR oSScoDsecces sas 421
Estimate of timber in Clarke County, Washington.
M feet B. M. LHe acocas bau odokes Los0 9S 00s BOOSTS DOES REE HEE Bann cubceSneancesodsoccess 2,124, 126 (OGG Recsaa.dacsecuHosse Sead sccDoo ed EEE paca cn0ecs SoS0 4Sa6 ceesesce c50c 132, 700 TSK Sodo cosa coon sdo5 ocas coo Qeeu beSbSSESSoSooD ccoS oseceeD Veweoeee 84, 860 otal seers OCS ede OS SSIES ECE OE Oor G05 HOU DAB enD wos ene HOSS 2, 341, 686 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M.----------------- Se epee te 19, 000
COWLITZ COUNTY.
This county lies in the southern part of the area, being limited on the south by Lewis and Columbia rivers. The eastern portion of the county comprises the westward slopes of Mount St. Helens, and includes a considerable area the timber on which is not regarded as merchant- able. Aside from this and a few areas of prairie the county was origi- nally covered with fine, merchantable forests. Fires have, however, been extremely disastrous in this county, destroying the timber on large areas, particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the county.
GANNETT.) FORESTS OF WASHINGTON. 31
*Lumbering has been carried on along the Columbia and Cowlitz rivers, and considerable areas have thus been denuded; but this bears little comparison to the areas denuded by fire, which comprise fully one-half of the portion originally covered by merchantable forests.
Area of timbered and other lands in Cowlitz County, Washington.
Sq. miles
TNIV ONRER, sssose cosGaa Sascod seosoe cageds nobboo oSeece panas0 cannbS O6Gn0G S0595a 1, 124 Merchantable timber area ...--.------------------------- -------------------- 400 Logged area .... ---------- ------ --2- 2-2 - = 222222 2 ree ee en nee 80 Naturally bare area ..---------- +----------- +--+ = ++ 222-2222 22222 terre cece 68 YMG ARED, coos caoooduccesoe osodoe 6 dau660 bode abu SsbEaD caeceS bons eau onoSse 500
Estimate of timber in Cowlitz County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
TAD cconcosod o20s coped cones cnuSau LosouU SEDs SaBBeC canESaoaco ShacoReDac 3, 932; 591 Spruce --- + --2- =. - 2 = = oon = me nn win ne ences 1, 089 (OGMAR = sn0.s5a0s5oce9 caanaGonaood sosece ss6800.505075 s5655eR0—9595R—085eR5 627, 571 TEIGIGO Re aance noseRe ceoS8e osansapadesS 5008 sbec5a05 no cacace 9856 eseqqq.9der 655, 184
TOGA Socdes cocoon eases aobbes pocede Heodou S550 Gene senanad sdoggaaued 5, 216,435 .
Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M..---..------------------- 20, 400
ISLAND COUNTY.
This comprises a group of islands in the northern part of Puget Sound, including Whidby and Camano islands. These islands origi- nally were entirely covered with fir forests, but have been almost com- pletely denuded by the ax.
Area of timbered and other lands in Island County, Washington.
Sq. miles
Total area, all logged --.----.----------------- ---- -----2 -+2 222 222 r or rr 220 Estimate of timber in Island County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
QHD sascc neseco cdeooueaasas obec HubbeD seonEs coe ESaSsHcde SansicoDgsD aedcas 250, 000
GWG scoocsbeasobescs seco ssduedcoes Seas e55Enu SaeceC enSeeD GSS ECeDoCeaUICOSe 180, 000
Towel. ~asooadsods sacoe5 Sacbiones ead cove ecceocuonbas aces aape deoceeuaS 430, 000
The above timber is reported as still standing upon culled Jand.
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
This county lies upon the Olympic Peninsula, stretching from Hood Canal, upon the east, to the Pacific coast. The central portion of the county, comprising three-fourths of it, lies within the Olympic Moun- tains, and contains no timber of present value for milling purposes. Elsewhere the county was formerly heavily forested, on the east with fir, on the west mainly with cedar and spruce. The timber of the east- ern portion has been in the main destroyed either by the ax or by fire, mainly by the latter. The timber in the western portion of the county is as yet untouched either by fire or by the ax.
32 FOREST RESERVES.
The forests of this county are remarkable because of the large pro- portion of cedar therein, more than half the forest being of this species, while of fir, elsewhere the most abundant species, there is compara- tively little.
Area of timbered and other lands in Jefferson County, Washington.
Sq. miles. Totaliace ss ee ee eee ae ee eee eee et 1, 688 Merchantable timber area ......--....---.--------------------------+-------- 430 Logged area -...-.--.-.----- ------ ------ ------ ------ ---- === + --2+ =----------- 96 Naturally bare area -...---...---..-.-----------+----------------------------- 100 TRING ANGE cocoae cose Ske Sso Sonods ssa RSS SaeesoRSbSro Seance sdosssse sSseqnetss 115 Estimate of timber in Jefferson County, Washington. M feet B. M. Ihe aac na bbeo ee sos opocsesssoceS Smonee eons os5e G08e SES esS= Seen ecboseos 794, 232 SJ UCD) contes Saseeheces ooo coSces ceod Sea0 Base SeeSns b0S6 5505 SocstcCconosS 267, 427 COVER Beoseo socces 6605 6456 c605 SobS EOBCIDR SPOS ROSS S656 Coes Sogg Be Seas nOS5 2, 124, 725 LEGGY Sesdcacdooas eSeaes Jon0c5 SeE a paaSIpepeE Se aseacocssscop Soccc5 Ss6ac5 1, 043. 776 BREN eee seco Sone cobee tac ce BO MAE EI SEOOOCOEEES DoSaDeos SCSaTSseec sess 4, 230, 160 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M-------.------------------ 15, 300
KING COUNTY.
This county is in the middle of the State north and south, and extends from the crest of the Cascade Range westward to the shores of Puget Sound. Much of the eastern part of the county lies high up in the Cascade Range, and contains little timber of present merchant- able value. Aside from this and a few trifling areas of prairie, the county was originally heavily forested, but the forests have been largely removed by fire or the ax. The latter has taken the timber from Vashon and Maury islands, from the shores of Puget Sound, and of lakes Washington and Sammamish, and from a broad belt along the line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, together with other smaller areas in the interior of the county. Fires have done a vast amount of damage in various parts of the county, mainly in its central portion, although the mountainous regions have not been neglected by it. Indeed, fully one- half of the area formerly covered with merchantable timber has been devastated by fire.
Area of timbered and other lands in King County, Washington.
Sq. miles GUO AN BIW Boo noc SSoeco seSSSe SoS sseaSo ees Ses SseSSSoSSe Goce conces ceSSenSSa5 1, 944 Merchantable timber area---- ---------.-----_.------ === ---- ~~~ = = 580 Logged area ......------------ ------ ------ ------ 22 += = == we =e 350 Naturally bare area -.....---.---------------- ------------------------------- 10
FRAO UPRECEY Caso. cpasoce canoe cooeed CoS cHeieSones GHOOEdS4 5660 sdcSsb ode coscnaadad 520
GANNETT. ] FORESTS OF WASHINGTON. 33
Estimate of timber in King County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
TED aro Pee ate es aes RAN Co MNC PSE A RTA ake eR MEER BRENNER a aes RR 5, 251, 784 NOM sascasecdondes cdende de essen easnosds sHewar supose oeboboreaseéebad 49, 248 OTR 55 b oes saccdose snes adsodes ooo ase So SsasE oped sees cou sdomeer SuSE eae: 1, 252, 318 THOIMOG Re Sse onan date CadoncaseS Sons Sae5 cuagadsecdoesouoearate Suen seco cses 1, 090, 496 MOU cose no coases condos oesebe ceaeba saoses seas soso sescnsescesocsess 7, 643 846 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B.M .-..---.-.-.-.-.---..----- 20, 500
KITSAP COUNTY.
This occupies the northern part of the peninsula separating Hood Canal from Puget Sound. It was originally entirely covered with heavy fir forests. These have been removed almost entirely by the ax from the shores and the islands bordering them. Only a trifling area in the southern portion of the county has been burned, while nearly half the area has been logged. The standing timber consists entirely of fir.
Area of timbered and other lands in Kitsap County, Washington.
5 Sq. miles.
SiON CIE cos eco atasaee ded donb decoeu SeBnos Hose eso SEe LOU SET OSene caeComereeesee 392 Merchantalble: timberjarearjjoset= saa oa ee taro e ee aera seers siete recess 200 WOE CHl BIR does pos sodlebes semen se mee ance cee oun SED beep Besa agceee saooee Leen oaeE 170 ISG GLEMNCH Sooo ctosed Joana coHaes basRee Goud cone CouE cen oastts EHS aEoe SESE OSeE 22
Estimate of timber in Kitsap County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
TBR 5 Snes AURA coh ADOC COLES OSE ea ae te ne eee ep 1, 140, 900 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M..-..-..--.--.--...---.---- 9, 000
LEWIS COUNTY.
This is situated in the southwestern part of the State, and extends from the crest of the Cascade Range on the east to the Coast Ranges on the west, including the valley of Cowlitz River. A considerable por- tion of its area, therefore, is included within the Cascade Range, where the timber is not regarded as of present merchantable value. There are many prairies scattered over its surface, which further reduce the original area of merchantable timber.
The timber upon more than one-third of the area of this county has been burned, the burned areas lying mainly in the eastern half of the county, though they are not by any means confined to this part. The cutting of timber has been carried on mainly in the neighborhood of the Northern Pacific Railroad, which traverses the county from north to south.
19 GEOL, PT 5——3
34 FOREST RESERVES.
Area of timbered and other lands in Lewis County, Washington.
YRQuA ERNE a oro an oeSe oceaes baco es boacbe seu ada unompaSe aapoeh seaconcseb cour nano 2, 308 Mere hamibeibll eytinmn))o 127s e aes ree 815 TL GyexeRe El GRRE) Gos ccoe oscss croScs conces pan Sooo ce aoos Dane Sones Seon eesccssase 7] IN[ey AOE My? IDE NWS) EHR 3 Go Secs cose seas bees odnO eaeeas sass ope Sane coos sens sascesss 60 Burnediarealeass-eeee eae eee eee Sta el ee a eM A rs tet Orem eta epee Ae 820
M feet B. M.
lee Sas Saseroceed sGebco ss6564 0505 GaSHa SSSA DBRS oCUr aoqu cboceasuencsab 7, 236, 170 SORUCDac coos seocee ddosds dooce tecces dog ede esp asee Seed Eser anccosSsesosRe 1,311 (OGG Ey esas ee eec Sosy GSoS SC cub SOs Sone Een eOn esac cnarese cata cs smso 883, 627 Hemilockeas ese sose ee Oe ee arena f clais cissis Sis ee Seeley eee ree pseee 465, 154 “Ue oes oDaGcde cose sonalcuGeeEcoBaoad SouecooSoaabon puns ccna sbeS 8, 586, 262 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M.--------.---------------- 16, 500
MASON COUNTY.
This county includes the southeastern part of the Olympic Mountains and much of the country bordering Hood Canal. The portion within the Olympic Mountains is not regarded as containing timber of mer- chantable value. Elsewhere, however, with the exception of a few small prairie tracts, it was originally heavily timbered. Fires have done little damage, but timber cutting has been extensive. The forests have been removed from the shores of Hood Canal and other inlets from Puget Sound, as well as from much of the interior of the county; indeed, it appears that nearly two-fifths of the area has been logged.
The forest consists almost entirely of fir, the amounts of other species being trifling.
Area of timbered and other lands in Mason County, Washington.
Sq. miles TEM) MER csocco poaces ososs6 moc Ss oo nSHE Hegoss Seuss Spee dens sees caso case speese 996 WIGHOME AIA DS TRUM NE BR os oeo cao neo coe ouD pe Eee be08 Haas sonsEs sede Soea scesac 575 Logged area ...-..---- paogee 6566 Sonnehee Sasn nbSOoSeS So0dbSee SSu0 9000 odesau sede 220 Wee hy WS) GARE 6 4 500 osco cond Sead Seep eee ees daSbSe soe5 scou cseécseEcaces SB) Birnie dared toe shee eee eps ee SN ELS an 2 TUL UE SE i erates toe apa Srerto 12 Estimate of timber in Mason County, Washington. M feet B. M. IDE (ode a bev oboe seams esoocascseacsees SeaoeE BERS One Son paenee Sada Sasso 2, 055, 648 S]MAUCO csa8 ce So58 osonc5 sos5e6 sacass SSEo cose seas CSbESS ep ESoU SSocec eos ossS 492 Cedantsaense eee ee eee Seo bessneas Resse sehe Soc sooo ebes teen ceecoscedce 25, 970 IGM so55cses cso sone Sadcos sacs He0s Seb5 Hecg sHeodeae SSeS ased Sonseaseze 8, 955 NOP ssa occtencoo.asas sSas.sebdce 54d. cdogs Seuecuep coou sca cosonasues 2, 091, 065 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M.------------.------------ 5, 600
PACIFIC COUNTY.
This is the southwesternmost county of the State, bordering upon the Pacific and Columbia River. Its surface in the interior is some- what broken by the Coast Ranges, although the relief is nowhere great. It is drained by Willapa and Nasel rivers.
GANNETT. ] FORESTS OF WASHINGTON. 35
Originally the entire surface, with the exception of a few sandy tracts near the coast, was covered with fine forests, composed almost entirely of fir in the interior, and of cedar and spruce near the coast.
Logging has been carried on along the two rivers above mentioned, and to some extent immediately on the coast. Altogether only an area of 42 square miles has been logged.
I‘ires have not been especially prevalent or destructive in this county, having destroyed the timber upon an area of only 59 square miles.
Area of timbered and other lands in Pacific County, Washington.
Sq. miles
ARQ BOR) Asn dsc beSSso cdéas sg odbSec ndedes cubes GaSScoSsbe BonaeH Saeaeeen aeseoanS 896 NIGREMOMNINTNS (HRN OG AI o so56 cece aSeeee cue ndoo codes eubE Seon BEEGUES onnS sees TAT ILOERCC ORB oo S5 coesed odosda eaeab cache oGue saad tee Satens CoUEHOBARaSAASooaese 42 INjenqeTAlby MNES GN. caseeb odoccs conacs conoce cae oes cacé Sonb Hees one RES Sond cecuHe 12 IBUIRAGE CHEE coss Se SoaEod oc goose oo Scud He co gcocuDe nna deceae Haas Caoa asso peoo meas 59
0 Estimate of timber in Pacific County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
SERUM teers ere sea ete ee ee eins cereale mietoee ais eurty eee Sees sear erie sea (sca eis 5, 498, 224 SMANES) 50 codaes cone Ue ee NOME eee eee ued WL oR Sd 814, 953 ChiGlene gedcec arcs cebasdocse pocecOGssoO Sess SoHo babes Se Seoe SeSE SHES ese eee 713, 238 MEVOML OCI ye yee ess 38 aye ateeiyoeaee ata eice Mes i aecieet ae Sapp yamegs cee ces pete 786, 652 Ro taill ihe Fosects see Sask EN SS, some Sig ates syst hee ae oe 7, 813, 067 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B.M.-._-..-.----...---..----- 16, 300
PIERCE COUNTY.
This, one of the central counties of the region, extends from the crest of the Cascade Range westward to Puget Sound, and includes several islands in the sound. In the east it includes Mount Rainier, with an altitude exceeding 14,500 feet, from whose summit radiate great areas of snow and ice. <A large area in the eastern part of this county con- tains no timber of merchantable value at present. A considerable area has been logged, including nearly all of the islands, large tracts around the city of Tacoma, and others along White and Puyallup rivers.
This county has been singularly free from fires, only a trifling area having as yet been burned. There are, however, large tracts, covering many scores of square miles south of the city of Tacoma, which are naturally timberless.
Area of timbered and other lands in Pierce County, Washington.
Sq. miles Motalkareaeee. elses sess nse (stesso e Sie Shae wre cise tm oe te as SE 1, 376 Merchanpalblesiimib erarearene sae seeee ror cen asenter eee rete eee e eee 563 ILO GRC PONE ces cagses 0505 bss eeasae HoSeG BD OACHas oSeausESLepe beeSaslensehe acs 200 Naturally bare sareaias = atece ces aeiaisceie sm tiee seat aint eee at ge hare eee ea 148
IBULNE Rare ae eres otars warts erate sian sie eter cle ae a alee eee ei cua tsh ore ys ue epee NN eM 62
36 FOREST RESERVES.
Estimate of timber in Pierce County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
1b eR Ber Ree areE SEE St orld ic oo cad H Suse a eOC OE SUSE CSBBA Bas coaeeoeo Bese 4, 778, 091 Sprucesce-tissse fe Sot ees eeee Sine eines oe ecb in ae a Sanne oe eete eee 56, 075 Cedar ner se 222 e Se esc S ae eee eee aaa can (oo ont ec bee annie eects 618, 012 Hemlock 222 sins 2653s eee eee PENA YS Ses SE Solin te aanPacisie tae osem mete 1, 067, 953 MN) eee SS een Goals DE Co SES CREE ECC Eras cea amos seeaS 6, 520, 1381 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M-----.--.--...------------ 18, 000
SAN JUAN COUNTY.
This, one of the northwestern counties of the State, is composed entirely of islands in Puget Sound, the principal of which are San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Blakely, Shaw, and Waldron.
All these islands were originally covered with a heavy forest, com- posed of red fir almost exclusively, but, being easily accessible, the entire area, 600 square miles, has been logged.
SKAGIT COUNTY.
This is in the northwestern portion of the State, and extends from the crest of the Cascade Range to Puget Sound, including a number of islands in the sound. The eastern portion, including much more than half the county, being mountainous, is not regarded as containing mer- chantable timber. The western portion, comprising perhaps one-third of the county, was formerly entirely forested, with the exception of a considerable tract of prairie about the mouth of Skagit River.
There have been no fires of magnitude within the county, but logging has been extensively carried on. The islands have been cleared entirely and the lands in the neighborhood of the coast and the immediate val- ley of Skagit River have been cleared as far up as the mouth of the Sauk.
Area of timbered and other lands in Skagit County. Washington. Sq. miles.
Totalvaneayerea-ee eee sees ose BAe aoe Soe/ a. SoBe Eee EE nh Habs ea eens 1, 960 Merchantablemuimpentareace ss oes che. em ee yee eer eee eee 575 Ib MyeeRAl GID cose odsé.co0e sea oagoeapoopse S66 Geeacece sas ocmearaceosocase aise 196° Natural yabanewanea seme se otc = alle cy inet se eiayayee ere ke eee ape eee eer eae 90 Burned laren peeeere eenn ee ieee See scene eee eee ae se ee tee 12
M feet B. M.
IMP 32 a cboc cho sho cseses one0 cass bend oseseeacesco ss coe ses Cees Saso sec scee 3, 841, 229 SHOMGS) wc ko5 = se tsocsosesd secs bese eses oS SSoc osaa 605s SeecSS DES SHecbses 184, 096 (COMP Sescsyscce sges256 555 25 SSSass ones seb cecces abbado soSSasasessuSsq 2,517, 693 W@MMON o.253055 5550 5505 see5s0 285985 Sees one cas cosas doceases Saeseeaos 1, $19, 404 Neh ieenmeiete he oct Le 1S ha ce aa ee erect Wh) ee 10, 362, 422 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M.-...---.-------.---.---- 28, 000
GANNETT. ] FORESTS OF WASHINGTON. 37
SKAMANIA COUNTY.
This county is in the southern portion of the State, bordering on Columbia River, and extending thence northward well into the Cascade Range. In the northwestern portion of the county is the extinet vol- cano of St. Helens, while well into the northeast extend the western spurs of Mount Adams. The northern portion of the county is there- fore extremely rugged,-mountainous, and elevated, and the spurs from these mountains extend southward nearly to Columbia River.
The northern half of the county is not regarded by lumbermen as con- taining any accessible merchantable timber, although with exception of the summits of the highest mountains, which are above timber line, it was formerly wooded. The southern half was at one time timbered quite heavily, especially toward the west. In recent years, however, fires have destroyed the timber in more than half the area of the county. These fires have invaded the eastern and western portions, leaving between them a narrow belt of forests, together with a broad strip along Columbia River; indeed, the timber upon more than half the area of the county has been thus destroyed.
But little of the timber of this county has been cut. Logging opera- tions extend along Columbia River across the county, reaching perhaps a mile back from the river and up a few of the streams flowing into it.
The forests of this county consist mainly of fir and almost entirely of this species and hemlock. The amount of cedar is trifling and there is no spruce in the county.
Area of timbered and other lands in Skamania County, Washington.
Sq. miles.
J@ua| BAW SE) boca ce Geosoesubsleshc aoceeaccedicene se pdod ated sa gemOcEmo aoeere Heeeta 1, 636
IMerchanitableytimbenareanacaas cee ectece eee tere eee eee ne ee eee eee 430
ILCs! MICE) cosaaecaaHes eooD Shoe cade dondosda SoSoan,.cuesbe cel eecseEe DER H Rees 57
EITM DET ESSHATE A eyatersai-teSereeate eae tate ee ee eee oeree clo ome 58
BUEN COLAC ayerste ais sts = eee eo se ree ee te eo re street es roc ok 926 Estimate of timber in Skamania County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
OR Tea eek eeraiete S akcle is Saree inte oe eros ee aie aise Ss ae Sevsieal ne aac loeibelme cities 3, 675, 960
OREN? sooco pede seas essa oases codede dé odes Beds Cobra sab GoaU CEsEEE BUSSES 21, 411
la MODE ease sues cess oadsHash oa06 Suad Soa HES DEER anes SUES ESU Eas eEEeseewedS 963, 759
FEO fall Netetecerays cia ye ard rersprasyayne steric mens te mic ae MH eM ee 4, 661, 130
Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B. M........--- Beers ihe cae 17, 000
SNOHOMISH COUNTY.
This county extends from the crest of the Cascade Range to Puget Sound. The eastern part is composed of high and rugged mountains, and contains little, if any, merchantable timber. The western half was originally forested, with the exception of a few tracts of prairie.
38 FOREST RESERVES.
Logging has, however, been carried on extensively in this county, two- fifths of the area formerly timbered having been stripped by the ax. Burns have not been extensive or destructive.
The forest consists of fir and cedar, the amount of hemlock being trifling, with no spruce whatever.
Area of timbered and other lands in Snohomish County, Washington. Sq. miles.
AMO UEM| EWES oa s5cG26 Boao caso cagcas ooacns Sane SDS SSDS 6600 Ses S05 SasaDN WSbOSS 1, 720 WIG NEM BANG While OED .osc.cccuce coco mmad ones seo coesoe HeSses seca coasosS 634 WOES BREE cosonc cele oo0 cosae Hobe cond snESES EON dba baones 6200 SeDESCaEse SSE550 280 INE ADORM by? [NEVES GRRE coos aces soot cons conc ebenny coab ocs0 Goces0 cacoebsoes pasaess 24 IB WINCH) cage cossse nods 5508 Heese Coes Hoon se Esco bodee0 bo00 sees asedeoue cond 40
M feet B. M.
VRP Goaccasaad soos ossdse soscsos6o00s s aces soba eEsS Bosses pone cusESa sod CHEE 5, 244, 741 Cedaryee es ee tere eee na BodEAEaeHae sad Gace SkbsicquocadsebAabe 2, 379, 888 LENO Ros | Sa ssoGes cpo Sob coo Sus Sana GaSeRedeBees choboe ceosttonseo bpab Head 84, 141 STNG al eee i ee SENN cn SL at gee ee 7, 708, 770 Average peliaClewiMy tee bis. y Mee set aij ein alo a(aelele ela) ea ee eel 19, 000
THURSTON COUNTY.
This county lies in the central part of the area here under descrip- tion, bordering on the north upon Puget Sound. Its area was, with the exception of numerous prairie tracts, originally covered entirely with fine forests, mainly of fir. At present all the forests in the neighbor- hood of Puget Sound have been cut away. Fires have not been preva- lent and but little timber has been destroyed by this means.
Area of timbered and other lands in Thurston County, Washington. Sq. miles.
GWE ANE) Gbs5q cooosd Sodd soGGas coaseapSecce cane oo BdnOdoucds cacaunsoScEercDDEOS 768 Merchambablennimib ertaneareeeer escarole 380, WOMENEl BHA S55 5565 to5050 coeeou Seceed sense) oadase SaaS Iesean SaderesooSesaaacos 147 INAV ARO: MRS sos cose do Sess obonee cosa hooerc ounod cons Sdeece pasa cesesesees 100 IRA ENREEH Seo oGos esoo.coes ccad SooSusseeauS Gbcub cone Sonn oss o5decu cece cosponcs 56
Estimate of timber in Thurston County, Washington. M feet B. M.
FT ee ee ae nee Doce Goce ESS CREE SEC oEErs Cos oerone EapeEroSsape 2, 608, 125 SOMUEO a adie ss S555 osoosd 245 sone Sead beonoded Bedons one sos cncesocs sacsbsebor 462 (OBC Lede eb casa sado.sean coed asd deReabunobesEao nods chon ood scud ouarisuon 108, 949 IekSIMlOXelie Rees ccdwlshocso asecce bans AdoniReoOnAG Socea65e5 cole ocdeusu0Neauce 69, 807
LINO Geechee Ree ees epee ote She jets a) e Mise pe erersietedslee el steeralecice 2, 787, 343 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B, M .--.--..-..------ Bae 11, 450
WAHKIAKUM COUNTY.
This county lies in the southwestern part of the State, bordering on Columbia River. With the exception of certain islands in the Colum- bia and small tracts about the mouths of certain tributary streams,
GANNETT. ] : FORESTS OF WASHINGTON. 39
the entire area was heavily forested. Lumbering has been carried on along the shores of the Columbia and on Grays and Deeprivers. Fires also have been somewhat prevalent in the county, but more than two- thirds of the area of the county is still covered by fine forests.
Area of timbered and other lands in Wahkiakum County, Washington.
Sq. miles. ANON E IEE cosodelsbacce coudos Beda neocua see aaposecos pebaEe BaBEatou cease cosacHo cos 244 WISE MAMAS abe Nee EHR. Losans co sooe coobou 6en= poeees Sone SSHO ReEeHs saupcosceS 172 IARI CHRP S Sooo sacdds Gadeee code Sodubs Socne0 cuoT Song EceSBesesebEenee cobs caec 40 Ibj RIEL EHC) 6 pasaueooadec sens uses oGo°. cuss Soa coRHeS HEARInaHOBeSaEteerasedbecabbee tae, Estimate of timber in Wahkiakum County, Washington. :
M feet B. M.
1 UR see Pa Sed SEE en Hoae 6 SOO Seto Ee ACE eee ae Ree Seer 1, 947, 150 PS) OC wae ees ekess Gado cohorts SS ooh H6od HOO SEAS COCO Se ea ts eae eaaetS 182, 520 Cedars 5. aisse nie eee ee eee CLC eet oiseiowicncinceereccece sg fecee 301, 757 lao Hes sosnossocanocene pocets ondece poGase G0 pocdcdcanpaconu senses Ses 542, 680. TO ball Sois 20s Se ape Sepa aaa eee ee eet) cine ee chai sia eels Nom ic 2, 974, 107 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B.M.-.-......---..--.-------- 27, 000
WHATCOM COUNTY.
This is the most northern county of the State west of the Cascade Range. It extends from the summit of the range west to the shores of Puget Sound. In the eastern half of the county are found Mounts Baker and Shuiksan, two great extinct voleanoes, rising high above timber line. This eastern mountainous half of the county is not re- garded as containing any timber of present mérchantable value. The western half was originally very heavily timbered. Its forests were probably as dense as in any other county in the State, but they have been almost entirely destroyed by fire. Certain areas along the coast, on Nooksook River and on the Bellingham Bay and British Columbia Railroad, have been logged, but the amount of timber thus utilized is small as compared with that destroyed by fire. To illustrate the extent of this devastation, it may be stated that out of a timbered area of 780 square miles not less than 530 square miles have been burned; 164 square miles have been logged, and only 86 square miles of timber of present merchantable value are to be found in the county.
The forest consists almost entirely of fir and cedar, the amounts of hemlock and spruce being trifling.
Area of timbered and other lands in Whatcom County, Washington. Sq. miles.
(Botallare assests eyeec ec ears et reece = ce cease cides eaeiee = see eicine ce Saeees 2, 468 Merchantableytimbexnmareadwerre eee e serie cera e a encieecine Selecteer e eee 86 IE EAE UL OED, o S856. does 6bAdos obedos docaus HoOU sO LBoe nee naaepecs bode essoosGees 164 Natunalllyabaretareaemeameer recent cea isc cise amininc fas sue ee ceuel Gone eee cee eens 100
BUEN CARAT A payee eee ae ea ea eee ee eee Ssh eiccheesrai Slave ae aiwiat Mamieneis sisicisiee 530,
40 FOREST RESERVES.
Estimate of timber in Whatcom County, Washington.
M feet B. M.
IMP Sods peShidoeeonegce Sob casd danosoodnede bumashesie sboode esSane SSogsoone¢ 985, 175 SOANCD sco copdoo sooo scuu sess.cood sogcoe See bas anodes Gaduds Seoegs pcan danoES 18, 580 Cedaree=ae === pacoad GOs Hodobe saben Seon onem enue oundedocas.cdoa saad esaced 282, 450 IES WG) SS sed Soodoe doaceSssoe cod cu CU Oc be EEE TEeoee pore Subceecmdocsacdes 60, 190 Total snes aes eee eee eieece onsen esis ee uen pedeounaes eacese osqEeO 1, 346, 395 Average per acre of timbered land, in feet B.M. ..-- .--.-------.--------- 24, 000
RESUME.
The totals from the figures given above are as follows: The entire area of the nineteen counties above described is 24,906 square miles. Of this area but little more than one-third, or 9,039 square miles, is regarded as containing merchantable timber. Besides this an area of 3,205 square miles has already been logged; a much greater area, 3,614 square miles of merchantable timber, has been burned, besides an area of 700 square miles in the mountains not containing merchantable timber. In other words, out of an area of 15,858 square miles formerly covered with merchantable timber, 20 per cent, or one-fifth, has been destroyed by fire; 224 per cent has been cut; and the remainder, 573 per cent, is still covered with standing timber. In this entire area there are only 833 square miles which are naturally timberless.
Upon the timbered area there is estimated to be standing 103,503,576 thousand feet B. M., which in itself is sufficient to supply the sawmills of the United States for four years, under the present rate of cutting.
The amounts of each of the four species composing this total are as follows: ‘¢
Summary of timber in western Washington.
Species. | M feet B.M. | Pet cont
HT Se eee ce eccisos eet eeeee | 66, 208, 861 64
Gedane iene sae eee sererieasinect 16, 192, 276 16
Ievemiloc kes setiserer oe Raut russe | 14, 699, 759 14
SHOMMOO) 554 scoscscdcod soboseaasgoue | 6, 402, 605 6 | |
If we assume that the logged area contained on an average the same amount of timber per acre as is still standing in other areas, it appears that since lumbering began in this region there have been cut trom it 36,000,000 thousand feet B. M.
If we make the same assumption regarding the burned area, it appears that there have been destroyed by fire, without the least benefit to the world, the enormous amount of 40,000,000 thousand feet B. M. of lumber. Anyone who has passed the late summer and early fall in this State
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GANNETT. | FORESTS OF WASHINGTON. 41
realizes the ernormous destruction which takes place annually at this season. There are fires everywhere, and the smoke from them lies as dense as the fog on the New England coast for weeks at a time.
These are impressive facts. In less than a generation more than two-fifths of the timber has been destroyed in one of the richest timber regions on this continent, and of that destruction more than half has been caused by fire. Nearly two years’ supply of lumber for the United States has thus been destroyed. Assuming that the timber thus destroyed would, if standing now, have a value of 75 cents per thou- sand feet, it appears that not less than $30,000,000 worth has thus gone up in smoke—a dead loss to the people of the State.
The distribution of the different species recognized as lumber in Washington is represented on Pls. V-VIII, and is seen to follow a few definite and simple laws. The tints represent the proportion which each species bears to the entire forest, using the township as a unit. The map (PI. V) showing the distribution of red fir shows that upon the west shores of Puget Sound the forest is practically pure fir, and that southward as far as Columbia River, throughout the valley of the eastern slope of the Cascade Range, more than three-fourths of the forest is composed of this species. The proportion diminishes as the Pacific coast is approached, and upon the coast, extending from 10 to 25 miles inland, there is practically no red fir to be found. On the east coast of Puget Sound and southward, between one-half and three-fourths of the forest is composed of fir. The proportion increases somewhat as we recede from the sound, but at an altitude of about 3,000 feet in the Cascade Range the fir suddenly disappears.
The distribution of spruce is expressed on the map (PI. VIII) in a simi- lar manner, and is equally characteristic. There is practically no spruce on the Cascade Range or on the eastern slopes of the Coast Ranges. It is most abundant immediately upon the Pacific coast, and diminishes thence inland.
Of cedar (PI. VII) there is scarcely any to be found upon the islands and upon the west coast of Puget Sound, and but very little in the valley to the southward. It increases westward toward the coast and reaches a maximum immediately on the coast. The east coast of Puget Sound contains a large proportion of cedar, ranging from one-fourth to one- half of the forests, and that proportion diminishes as we ascend the Cascade Range.
Hemlock (PI. VI) is almost entirely wanting upon both shores of Puget Sound and in the valley to the south. It increases westward and forms quite a noticeable proportion of the forests in the Coast Ranges and 1n the northwestern part of the Olympic Peninsula. It increases also as we ascend the Cascade Range, its habitat extending nearly to timber line.
42 FOREST. RESERVES.
Average stand of timber per acre on timbered areas.
County. Feet B. M. 1 County. | Feet B. M. hy GUNS ATS Sa a eee se ea 2) 300), sees fch eee ee | 16, 300 (Sliehm Soeseonesetcceesacc| Ia 1OOr |) tims 2--co¢seas3 Socns scee | 18, 000 (Cla leehyeeteeae oe Seater meas 19,000 || Skagit = -....--.---.-...-| 28,000 Cowlitziss: aor. eee see 20, 400 Simm 525 SS56 casos ec85 17, 000 JetersOnee eee ne ates eeaee 15, 300 Snohomishyeseer reese rates 19, 000 IkGhnye ecu enon ds coosseecceDoue 205500is| eh urs tone eee eee eee ei 11, 450 ERG E Sao Saas eye ste ae 9,000 || Wahkiakum .........-.----| 27,000 De wis 222 eerste 16950005 |\p wihaitic omWer eee seein 24, 000 INE etonie ote epee eeepc oe 5,600 |) | |
The stand is heaviest in Skagit County, near the northern boundary. The next heaviest is Wahkiakum, in the southwest, near Columbia River.
FOREST CONDITIONS AND STANDING TIMBER OF OREGON.
In order to obtain an idea of the amount of standing timber in the State, timber cruisings have been collected. The Oregon and California Railroad, now a part of the Southern Pacitic, has a land grant extend- ing along the whole line of its road from Columbia River to the Cali- fornia boundary, with a width upon each side of the road of 30 miles, including indemnity strips. Throughout this area the road received alternate sections of land, excepting such areas as had been alienated prior to the grant. The timber upon these lands has been examined by cruisers, and as the value of the land is determined by the amount of timber upon it, this was done with considerable care. Through the courtesy of the land agent, Mr. George H. Andrews, all this informa- tion in condensed form has been furnished to this office. The following data were obtained: In each township the amount of timbered and non- timbered land, and upon the timbered portion the amount of timber, expressed in feet B. M., distinguished according to the species of timber recognized by the eruisers. In this case the cruisers distinguish the following species: Fir, hemlock, cedar, Sugar pine, yellow pine, noble fir, and spruce.
The following is a summary of the cruisings by this corporation:
Summary of cruisings by the Oregon and California Railroad Company in its land grant.
Acres. Motalgarearesca mim Clee see es ers ate eta ole eteteteta telat eee aren er 1, 442, O71 A erban asp NRE a5 oc soa css daooed chee DSueHr Sooo Soto bece BosSneSeeses sscece 808, 003
Sparsely or not at all timbered.-.......-......-..------------------ 634, 068
GANNETT] FORESTS OF OREGON. 43
Summary of cruisings by the Oregon and California Railroad Company—Continued
Variety. | Meet Bar. | Per sentot | EDS 1 eR a ee ae re a cree A 10, 356, 430 | 81 STNG Ge oocesseseesacesocessesa| 761,461 6 Cedars eco eee oe eee eee 213, 224 2 Sutaripineeeeseeeee eer sees eee 825,951 3 VWalllOy WING 3.5 -Gdoce bees nase ose 1, 044,050 | 8 INO ble Mine setts st sscerae eee eens | BEAT noo caeese SPRUCE Presse ae eee eae ee ane eee | SI PRM ee oe doce cose | : Total eee ers eae eras 12, 790, 781. | 100
These cruisings are scattered widely over the eastern portion of the coast ranges, the depression between the two ranges, which includes the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue valleys, and the eastern slope of the Cascade Range, and as they are in uo way selected areas, but con- sist of alternate sections, without regard to the quality or density of the timber, they furnish an excellent representative of the distribution of the timber as to density and species over much of the timbered portion of Oregon.
Similar statistics were obtained from the Willamette Valley and Cascade Range Wagon Road Company from cruisings of its land grant, which consists of alternate sections for 6 miles on each side of the road. The total area of timber land cruised in this grant is 143,480 acres. The species distinguished, with the amounts of each and the total amount of timber upon the grant, are as follows:
Summary of cruisings by the Willamette Valley and Cascade Wagon Road Company in its land grant.
| Variety. M feet B. M. | percent Biro e Wn Cee aan aneeeE See a | 1, 988, 287 | 85 Cad arene seein tiene ee cscs | 34, 978 | 1 Hemlock ss 2s2e0 cee eee ee seiees 150, 341 | ff Mallon Ne esse dase sceses soapsoaada 66, 535 3 |) Marches Seco ee on soe seis eee | 87, 893 4 }
TNO taal eee ap iets poste ae Seed alee ae 2, 328, 034. | 100
From Mr. W.S. Kinney, a prominent lumberman of Astoria, Oregon, Ihave received cruisings which he has had made of the northern half of Clatsop County. These cruisings do not distinguish among the different species of timber, but they show, upon an area otf 268,000 acres, a total of 2,592 million feet of saw timber. i
Mr. J. B. Leiberg, of this office, has made a thorough examination of an area of yellow-pine land situated east of the Cascade Range, upon
44 FOREST RESERVES.
the Paulina Mountains and the adjacent plateau at the head of Des- chutes River, which, for an area of 500 square miles, he estimates at an average of 5,000 feet per acre.
The above figures summarize the extent of definite information which we have concerning the density of the forests. Although in the aggre- gate the area included in these cruisings.is small as compared with the total wooded area of the State, yet they are scattered so widely that the entire western portion is sampled quite thoroughly, and from them a tolerably correct idea may be obtained of the density of the forests in the most important timber portions of the State—i. e., the Cascade and Coast ranges.
These figures indicate for the Coast Ranges and the timbered portions of the west side of the valley an average of 16,000 feet B. M. per acre; for the western slope of the Cascades and the eastern part of the valley an average of 14,000 feet per acre; for the eastern slope of the Cascades the average is about 6,000 feet. In the eastern portion of the State no data have been obtained, but from impressions of those who have traveled through the forests of the Blue Mountains and other ranges it is believed that they will average not far from 1,500 feet per acre. From these data the following table has been prepared, showing the amount of timber in these different sections of the State and in the entire State:
Estimated amount of timber in Oregon, by sections of the State.
Timbered | Amount of Stand per area timber acre. (square (million miles). feet B. M.). | Coast ranges -.-...---.-.-.-.. 16, 000 10, 000 102, 108 West slope Cascade Range..-.| 14, 000 9, 900 87, 083 East slope Cascade Range .--.| 6, 000 7, 100 27, 534 Hast Ores oneerseeeeeeeree anes 1, 500 18, 441 17, 928 otal esc ee ees ease ias lemme teal eee css 234, 653
The following table gives estimates by counties:
Estimated amount of timber in Oregon, by counties.
Reon | Timbered | Average tim- | Total amount County. COs) eee |e | a miles). per acre). B. M.). Bakers cer encee cece ceciete r 2,160 1, 200 1, 500 1, 200 Benton eee ee 684 180 15, 000 1, 728 Clackamas sos a aeceeceeee 1, 836 1, 330 15, 700 18, 338 Clatsop re wensnacece soci 815 651 36, 800 15, 476
GANNETT. ] FORESTS OF OREGON. 45
Estimated amount of timber in Oregon, by counties—Continued.
hes dreaka Dron | Avorsee | croeal amon County. eq a | (square (feet B. M. lion feet | miles). per acre). B. M.). Columbiamess = see ee | 693 | 52 27, 700 | 9, 683 Coos tesserae sea seee 1, 620 1, 295 15, 600 | 12,926 Crookeeee eerste seb aise Bs 8, 352 3, 750 3, 200 | 7, 300 Ourry2 eee ee 1,440! 1, 080 11, 400 | 8, 000 Douglase sce eevee ae 4,752 | 3,600 10, 400 23, 854 Gilliamtes seas eesoe eee 1, 728 400 1, 500 |: 400 (Girvan Gtr eR eee a 5, 436 4, 700 1,500 4, 700 ISIERENG\y As6> Hdd geqceqoosecs 9, 482 1, 150 1, 500 1, 150 Jacksons sien Soe cecee haat 2,376 1, 620 11, 600 12, 000 Jiosephineesces ssa seee eens 1, 764 1,514 6, 000 5, 800 Klamathiseense eee eee 6, 200 3, 420 6, 300 13, 834 Balke seie cone nua 8, 000 2, 000 1, 500 2, 000 Mane 22: Sisc hee So eens 4, 356 | 38, 420 13, 000 28, 800 Bincolnj2ee et cee ese eee | 1,000 | 612 25, 000 9, 800 Trinny: 2 2ses- Geyser 2, 268 1, 620 17, 600 18, 300 Malheur :).0 stat 5.2 ene 9, 828 | 1, 000 1,500 1, 000 Marione=-cee os ssh cess | 1,224 | 576 12, 600 4, 645 MOrro wet sine soeeeee eee 2, 070 470 1,500 470 Multnomahtessses sees eee 440 96 21, 000 1, 300
(Pol. Sees esa eee 684 400 13, 000 3,328 |
Sherman jse22 552 eeteerilisseaeeet (oil Be ee Sere sera AaAeEaete aee JOMETNOO Reon candies céeses 1, 116 864 26, 000 14, 490 (Wimartill aes ae eee 2, 968 1, 300 1,500 1, 500 Unions ees aeeciee es 3) 312 2, 200 1, 500 2, 200 Wallowa 254252 se eccee ees 2, 808 2, 808 1,500 2, 808 Wiashinetone-sses-s=eceeee- 684 | 350 20, 000 4,500 Was COjsazas veneise tae: maces 3, 200 | 1,116 10, 000 7, 100 Yambillsstetsou save cee erase 1 720 167 | 11, 400 1, 223 Total AY eee ees [Pei er ees ea Pe eet Bure 234, 653
a@ No timber.
In western Oregon the merchantable timber consists of much the same species as in Washington, viz, the Douglas or red fir (Pseudo- tsuga taxifolia), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), cedar (Thuja plicata), and hemlock (7'suga mertensiana). Besides these there are found in the southwestern part of the State sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana), noble fir (Abies nobilis), and yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa).
As is seen from the cruisings, a vast majority of all the timber in this part of the State consists of red fir. Cedar and hemlock are compara- tively unimportant and spruce is not represented in the cruisings, although it is known to be abundant along the coast where these cruis-
46 FOREST RESERVES.
ings do not extend. Sugar pine, noble fir, and yellow pine form but a trifling proportion of the lumber of this part of the State.
Pls. X—XIIT show the distribution of fir, hemlock, cedar, yellow pine, and sugar pine. The distribution of the first three named is expressed on these maps in percentages of the total forest. Therange of the last two species is represented by lines limiting it.
Tt will be seen that fir occupies the entire timbered portion of the depression between the Coast and Cascade ranges, with the eastern slope of the former and the western slope of the latter. Throughout most of this area it forms more than three-fourths of the forest, bus becomes less in proportion near the southern boundary of the State.
The distribution of cedar corresponds in this State to its distribution in Washington, there being none in the valley, while upon the Coast Ranges and the Cascade Range, at middle altitudes, it forms a small proportion of the forest. It increases in proportion as the shores of the Pacific are approached.
The distribution of hemlock in western Oregon is similar to that in western Washington, there being none in the valley, while upon the west slope of the Cascade Range it forms a notable proportion of the forest, reaching its maximum at mid altitudes. In the Coast Ranges it forms also a notable proportion of the forest, and probably increases toward the coast.
The forests of Oregon east of the Cascade Range are composed largely of yellow pine. This species crosses the range a little north of latitude 44°. Here, as is indicated by the map, the western limit crosses the range and immediately runs northwestward down its slopes, then, turning to the south and southwest, it crosses the valley just south of Roseburg and passes into the Coast Ranges. For its farther extension southward and westward I have no data.
Sugar pine enters the State from California, extends northward over the entire breadth of the Cascade Range, and probably nearly to the coast, its northern limit running as far north as the latitude of Oakland.
In conclusion, it will be instructive to add the following estimate of the timber of Oregon, made in 1895 by Mr. W. T. Griswold, of this office:
The following estimate of the timber of the State of Oregon is made from personal observation during the past five years, and a vast amount of important information from cruisers’ reports, loggers, and manufacturers of lumber in different parts of the State. In such areas as I have had reliable information I have made a summation of the estimated amount of timber in each township, finding them to run from 50,000,000 to 800,000,000 feet to the township, board measure, and finding from these results that a generally good timbered area will give an average of 12,000,000 feet for a section, or 432,000,000 to the township. I haye completed my summation for those areas in which I know the limits, but have no information as to the quality and amount of timber, using this number as to the amount per township.
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GANNETT. ] SAN FRANCISCO FOREST, ARIZONA. 47
From this we get a result of 200 billion feet of standing timber in the State, dis- tributed as follows:
Feet.
Clatsop and Columbia counties, coming into the Columbia River..-. 8, 000, 000, 000 Welvailem) Rinjene ee aos eo hy: See ee eee SUNSEE ER ae Rosen n) teed RE NUB OY 17, 000, 000, 000 Tillamook Bay-----.--... Sa) Rte ESRI os ee erect 2 ears ortee tenes 6, 000, 000, 000 Itillemm@nls 17 uo Shami RinGws 655566 ssaq coos 50 Soeas ceo eoeees -eee 5, 900, 000, 000 SmithvkiverjandiuheslowerUmpquameseeereeeeeseeeeeeooee eee sae 4, 500, 000, 000 CoosiBayzandiCoquillesRiviers sees eee eee eer eens eee ere 18, 000, 000, 000 Bullrun Reserye, coming into the Columbia by way of the Sandy
TRUEVOT Seat Pe RASS gE 75 5 COMERS Bee Raney CP IRD ay sa ge RRND Rysne dN OL 7, 000, 000, 000 ClickamastandsSantiam erie see eee setae eae ae an eee 29, 000, 000, 000 McKenzie and waters of the Willamette........-.-..----.----.--.--- 38, 000, 000, 000 Umipquahtingthe\Cascad ese ane caer seri eee ee eae eet ea 26, 000, 000, 000 INO SWS Ikke me WV) CAGES. sisces Shes ot cedoce does esos Sade oasobede 22, 000, 000, 000 Scattering, small bodies over the State.-....-...--------..---.----- 2, 500, 000, 000 Pine in Blue Mountains, eastern part of State..............-...--.- 4, 000, 000, 000
As will be seen, Mr. Griswold’s estimate for the Cascade Range and the country west thereof is somewhat larger than mine, while his esti- mate of the timber in the Blue Mountains and upon the plateau east of the Cascades is very much less. From a somewhat extended acquaint- ance with this region, I am satisfied that his figures concerning it are entirely too small.
SAN FRANCISCO FOREST, ARIZONA.
The Territory of Arizona is composed of two parts, differing greatly from each other in altitude, and consequently in climate. The northern and eastern portion consists of a plateau ranging in altitude from 6,000 to 8,000 feet. The southern and western portion is low, ranging from near sea level up to 4,000 or 5,000 feet. The southern and western edges of this great plateau, the Colorado Plateau, are well defined, and in the eastern portion are known as the Mogollon Mountains. This escarpment runs from the east line of Arizona, near its middle point, westward and northwestward, and finally north to the Colorado Can- yon. Inthe southwestern part of this plateau is a group of mountains, known as the San Francisco Mountains, which rise to an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet. A forest surrounds the base of these mountains, stretching thence to the escarpment and down it nearly to its foot. This forest accompanies the escarpment southeastward to the Territorial boundary, extending nearly to the foot of the escarpment on the south, and on the north spreading a variable distance into the plateau. This forest extends in a northwest-southeast direction for a distance of over 200 miles. Its greatest breadth in a contrary direction is about the San Francisco Mountains, where it reaches nearly 50 miles, while in other parts the breadth ranges from 12 to 25 miles. Altogether it occupies an areaof 4,700 square miles, or, approximately, 3,000,000 acres.
This is, from all points of view, the finest forest in the Southwest. It is composed of an almost pure growth of yellow pine (Pinus ponder-
48 FOREST RESERVES.
osa). Upon San Francisco Mountain, at certain altitudes yellow pine gives way to red fir, and still higher to subalpine species, but the area occupied by them is trifling compared with the total extent of the forest. It is throughout an open forest, with little or no undergrowth, the trees standing far apart. They are of good size for lumber pur- poses, clear of branches, and with long, straight stems. It has been remarkably free from fires, a fact doubtless due in great part to its open character and freedom from underbrush.
Concerning the amount of timber contained in this forest, I have secured cruisings made by the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company upon a portion of their grant, which covers parts of this forest. The area cruised is in the western portion, in the neighborhood and south of Flagstaff. The timber has been estimated upon portions of twenty- tive townships, an area of 214,000 acres altogether. Upon this area the stand was estimated to be 572,700,000 feet B, M., giving an average stand per acre of 2,700 feet. From such information as I have been able to gain the average stand of timber in other parts of the forest does not differ materially from that of the portion examined. If this be so, the forest contains a little more than 8,000 million feet of lumber.
SUMMARY OF FIELD WORK AND ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS.
During the season of 1897 examinations were made of the forests upon the following reserves:
The Black Hills Reserve of South Dakota and Wyoming, by H.S. Graves; the Bighorn Reserve, Wyoming, by F. E. Town; the Teton Reserve and the southern portion of the Yellowstone Park Reserve, by Dr. T. S. Brandegee; the Priest River Reserve, Idaho, and the eastern portion of the Bitterroot Reserve in Montana and Idaho, by Mr. J. B. Leiberg; and the Washington Reserve, Washington, by Messrs. H. B. Ayres, W. G. Steele, and M. W. Gorman. Their reports upon these reserves form the greater portion of the present volume. During the spring of 1898 Mr. Leiberg examined the San Jacinto, San Bernardino, and San Gabriel reserves, of southern California, and his preliminary report is presented herewith.
The instructions under which these examinations were made differed somewhat in the case of different reserves, but were substantially as follows:
The information desired may be summarized as follows: The delimitation upon maps of the wooded area and of the area occupied by merchantable timber. The amount of the latter, expressed in feet B. M., should be represented upon the map in grades, as follows:
(1) Under 2,000 feet per acre.
(2) 2,000 to 5,000 feet per acre.
(3) 5,000 to 10,000 feet per acre.
(4) 10,000 to 25,000 feet per acre.
(5) 25,000 to 50,000 feet per acre.
(6) 50,000 to 100,000 feet per acre.
(7) Over 100,000 feet per acre.
GANRETT.] BLACK HILLS RESERVE. 49
All the above data may be represented upon one map, and the larger scale should be used. Upon other copies on the smaller scale you will represent the extent of each of the most valuable timber trees, such as Western white pine, tamarack, cedar, and spruce.
Notes should be made, preferably upon maps, of the areas which have been cut over or culled, with a memorandum of the species cut; of areas burned over, with memorandum of the damage inflicted.
Notes on the following subjects should accompany the maps aboye specified.
The character of the soil.
The forest litter.
Depth of the humus,
The character and density of the underbrush and young growth.
The range in size of the trees of the principal different species.
The total height, clear trunk, and apparent age and soundness.
The effect of fires on the reproduction of trees.
The proportion of dead standing timber.
The character of the cutting, by whom, and for what purpose.
The means of transportation of lumber in and out of the reserve, streams, roads, etc.
The character and extent of the local demand for lumber.
The effect of sheep pasturage on reserve.
The use of water for irrigation and milling.
The extent and distribution of land more valuable for agriculture than for timber.
BLACK HILLS RESERVE.
Mr. H. S. Graves commenced work early in July and concluded in the latter part of November, having examined the entire region of the hills, including much land outside the limits of the reserve. Topo- graphic maps of this region, made on a scale of 1:125,000, by the Sur- vey, are used for the representation of much of the data obtained.
The area of the reserve, which lies entirely in South Dakota, is estimated at 967,680 acres, or about 1,500 square miles. It includes practically all the forests of the hills to the east, but on the north and northwest there are large areas of forest which are not included. On the other hand, in the southwestern part there are large tracts of open country which are included in the reserve.
The Black Hills are situated between the Belle Fourche and the South Fork of Cheyenne River, between the forty-third and forty-fifth par- allels of latitude and between the one hundred and third and one hun- dred and fifth meridians. They are an isolated group of mountains, whose general trend is NNW.-SSH., and are about 120 miles long by 40 miles in width. The form of the uplift is elliptic. From the central portion the stratified beds have been in part removed, exposing the underlying granites in the eastern half, while the western half is still covered by Carboniferous limestones. The granite portion is somewhat rugged, although the relief is on a small scale. The Carboniferous portion has an undulating surface.
Entirely surrounding this central portion is an elliptic-shaped valley of varying breadth, known asthe “RaceTrack.” This in turn is ineclosed by a rim of ridges, or hogbacks, ranging in elevation from 200 to 800
19 GEOL, PL 5 4
50 FOREST RESERVES.
feet above the plains. The mean altitude of the plains at the base of the hills is about 3,000 to 3,500 feet above sea level, and the average elevation of the hills above them is about 2,000 feet. The highest point is Harney Peak, in the granite portion of the hills, which has an altitude of 7,215 feet above sea level. In the northwestern portion of the hills are several isolated peaks of voleanic rock which have broken through the overlying strata, and, owing to their greater hardness, they have remained while the softer strata have been worn away.
The exterior outlines of the main body of forest are, for the most part, sharply drawn. In general the forest terminates abruptly at the inside of the Race Track, or the broad valley lying between the main portion of the hills and the hogbacks which encircle them. In certain cases where these hogbacks are higher than elsewhere they also are clothed with forests. Thus the Elk Mountain Range, the Pisgah Hills, the Inyankara Range, and the Bear Lodge Mountains are covered with timber. In the southern portion of the hills the outline of the timber is more irregular than elsewhere and has been pushed back within the hills by forest fires.
In general the timber is dense, but the forest is broken in many places by parks and mountain prairies, and enormous tracts have been denuded by recent forest fires. The entire area within the exterior limits of timber is about 2,600 square miles. Of this 2,000 square miles are covered with forest, the rest being either parks or prairies or coy- ered with a scattered growth of young timber.
The amount of merchantable timber within the Black Hills is esti- mated at 1,440 million feet B. M. Besides this, it is estimated that the hills contain 13,150,000 cords of firewood, poles, ties, ete.
The only tree in the Black Hills of commercial importance is the yel- low pine. The other species are so small, occur in such limited numbers, or have so few uses that they are of little or no economic importance.
The forest, as it is found to-day, does not represent at all what the yellow pine is capable of producing in thisregion. The forest is irreg- ular and broken and is composed in many places of defective and scrubby trees. There are trees of every age and class, and there are large areas where there are no trees at all. For a pure pine forest the yield in merchantable timber is extremely small. In some places it will yield 15,000 to 20,000 feet per acre, but such localities are small in area. In general a district which will yield 5,000 feet per acre over the whole area is very good, and the average yield of the forested regions is prob- ably not over 4,000 feet. For this condition forest fires are directly responsible, and the present aspect of the forest is the result of long abuse and the struggle of the forest to reestablish itself. The broken condition of the forest, the large proportion of defective trees, the many wind breaks, the prairies, parks, and bald ridges, are due to the destruc- tive forest fires which have swept the hills periodically for years and probably for centuries.
GANNETT. ] BLACK HILLS RESERVE. 51
The natural forest of yellow pine is dense and composed of trees of about the same age. It often comes up in bodies, the trees of which, over considerable areas, have the same age, and the irregular condi- tions now found are due entirely to external influences. The original forest, uninfluenced by fire or windfall, is found in but few places in the Black Hills. Such localities are distinguished on the map as those of the heaviest growth. They are found on rich soil and in pro- tected situations. The trees average about 20 inches in diameter, with a maximum of 3 feet. This timber reaches a height of from 80 to 100 feet, and the stems are straight and clear of limbs for from 30 to 50 feet.
There is a large amount of young growth scattered throughout the original forest, and in the northern part of the hills the timber is com- posed almost entirely of second growth,i.e., of thrifty growing trees not yet large enough for lumber.
Although the plains surrounding the Black Hills are within the arid region, having w rainfall of less than 20 inches annually, the Black Hills, by virtue of their greater altitude and broken character, enjoy a greater rainfall, giving them asubhumid climate. In some years there is sufficient rainfall for the maturing of crops, and in others there is drought, consequently the practice in regard to irrigation is by no means uniform. Some farmers prefer to irrigate, and thus insure their crops, while others take the chances on the rainfall. In some localities the soil is more moist than in others and irrigation is unnecessary in the majority of seasons, while in other and drier localities the reverse is the case. Hence it is difficult to say whether the criterion of agri- cultural land should be the ability to irrigate it. It therefore seems best to point out the areas of open valley country within the reserve, These open vaileys are scattered all over the reserve, intersecting bodies of timber in narrow strips, but nowhere appearing in large bodies except in the southern part of the reserve, where there is an area, comprising several townships, of open country containing but little timber, and that in small groves and patches.
The reserve is traversed by a branch of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, and on this road there are several towns of consid- erable size, including Custer, Hill City, Rochford, and others. The ranches upon the reserve are estimated to number 450 to 460. Most of these have been taken up as placer claims. These ranches contain on an average from 30 to 40 acres of plow land each. ‘The chief prod- ucts are oats, hay, and vegetables.
Such open country as above described, where not available for farm- ing, furnishes excellent pasturage. The largest extent of this is the great area in the southern part of the hills mentioned above. It is estimated that there are about 5,000 head of stock ranging through the timbered part of the hills, including the small bunches of cattle and horses owned by the ranchmen. There are no sheep pastured within
52 FOREST RESERVES.
the hills. It is stated that pasturing of cattle and horses does no harm to the forests.
Mining is the most important industry in the hills, and in the north- ern portion, north of the reserve, probably not less than two-thirds of the population are supported directly or indirectly by the mines. The principal mining center is. the vicinity of Lead and Deadwood, where the Homestake mine is located. There are a number of other small mining towns in the neighborhood, and throughout this portion of the hills are scattered mining camps whose inhabitants are pros- pecting and are developing discoveries. The most important mineral belt in the central hills is at Keystone, where the Holy Terror and Key- stone mines, employing a large number of men, are located, and through- out the eastern portion of the Black Hills are scattered small mines and discovery pits. They are said to be valuable, but are not being operated beyond the performance of the work required by law to hold the claims.
As stated above, the hills have been frequently and greatly devas- tated by fires. To the prevalence of the latter is doubtless due the existence of the open, park-like areas in the forest, as well as the poor quality of much of the timber, and the young growth, which covers great areas.
The vast majority of fires are doubtless the result of carelessness on the part of camping parties. Incendiary fires are not common. Some fires are set by sparks from railway trains and some by lightning. Many fires have been set by the burning of brush after clearing, though these are not so common as formerly. In the early days, before the occupation of the region by whites, doubtless fires were set intention- ally by Indians to drive game or to improve the pasturage.
There are forty-two small mills in operation in the South Dakota portion of the Black Hills. These are small, portable mills, capable of cutting, as a rule, about 8,000 or 10,000 feet of lumber each per day when in full operation. Very few of them, however, are run to their full capacity. The total annual output of lumber is estimated at 20,000,000 feet, besides the amount cut for firewood. Most of this is cut for mine timbering in the Homestake and other mines, but no small proportion of it is exported from the State.
BIGHORN RESERVE.
Mr. F. E. Town commenced work about the middle of July and ended at the close of September.
The limits of the reserve conform in a general way to the outlines of the Bighorn Range, although not closely. In some places they inclose small areas of the plains upon the east and west, while in others con- siderable mountain and forest areas are excluded. The range, how- ever, extends far to the south of the southern limit of the reserve. The area of the reserve is 1,198,080 acres, or 1,870 square miles.
QANNETT:] BIGHORN RESERVE. 53
The Bighorn Range has the form of an ellipse, the axis of which is somewhat curved, trending in the southern part nearly north and south and in the northern part to the northwest. The breadth ranges from 30 to 50 miles and the length is between 75 and 100 miles. On the east are the plains and on the west is the Bighorn Basin. Struct- urally the range consists of a great anticlinal fold, broad, flat, and rising steeply upon the flanks. The country on either side has an elevation of 4,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level, while the summit of the range has an altitude for the most part of 7,500 to 9,000 feet. In general, the summit of the range is a plateau whose surface is undu- lating and hilly and presents comparatively little relief; but here and there rise granite summits to altitudes exceeding 10,000 feet, and about the middle of the plateau there rises a range of mountains 3,000 to 4,000 feet above its surface, or 12,000 to 13,000 feet above the sea, the highest summit of this range being Cloud Peak, with an altitude of 13,100 feet.
While the entire area of the Bighorn Mountains, with the exception of a small region above timber line, is, judging from its climate and other indications, capable of producing forests, the general aspect of the reserve is that of a lightly timbered region. It contains no large ~ or valuable timber. It is only in a very few localities that any timber suitable for the sawmill is to be found, and a large proportional area, probably quite one-half, consists of open parks. Nearly all of the timbered region has been burned over, and much of it has been repeat- edly subjected to devastation from fires. In the park areas it is evi- dent that the timber has been driven out completely by fire. Of the timbered region a large part is covered with young growth, ranging from 10 to 50 years of age, while the ground is strewed with dead trees, the victims of fires, and these dead trees also are young and small. Fires have prevailed so frequently and universally over this region that it is only in limited localities that mature forests exist.
The destruction of the forests dates back mainly to the time of the occupancy of this region by Indians, and the fires were doubtless set by them for the purpose of driving out game or improving the pas- turage. Since the occupancy of this region by whites fires have been few and small.
Almost all the timber of this reserve consists of lodgepole pine (Pinus murrayana). This is generally distributed over the reserve at all altitudes, from the level of the plains to timber line. It is an inferior wood for lumber purposes.
Other species of coniferous trees—Pinus flexilis, Picea engelmanni, and Pseudotsuga taxifolia—are found, but they are sparsely distributed.
One of the best bodies of timber in the mountains is located in T. 55 N., R. 88 W., which was left out of the reserve, probably because a portion of its area had passed into private hands. The township north of this also contains considerable timber. South of the line of
54 FOREST RESERVES.
the reserve, T. 47 N., in Rs. 84 to 87, inclusive, is fairly well timbered; indeed, quite as fully as the region lying adjacent within the reserve.
It is estimated that in the entire reserve there are only 106,000 acres upon which the timber is of sufficient size to be considered merchantable, and of this about 22,000 acres have been cut over for railroad ties, leaving, approximately, 84,000 acres not cut over. Upon this area it is estimated that there are at present 210,000,000 feet B. M. of standing timber. This statement summarizes the condi- tion of things upon the reserve. Itsentire areais capable of producing timber, but of this area only 7 per cent contains merchantable timber at present.
There were, during the summer of 1897, six sawmills using timber from the reserve. These mills cut 1,700,000 feet B. M. per year. In recent years about 1,750,000 railroad ties have been cut from Ts. 55 and 56 N., R.88 W. This represents about 56,000,000 feet B. M. The above figures represent the extent of timber cutting within these mountains, with the exception of the small amount cut by settlers for their improvements and for firewood.
Roads across and through these mountains are few in number. There are very few settlers and improvements.
The Bighorn Mountains are used very extensively as a Summer range for sheep. It is estimated that during the summer of 1897 450,000 sheep were pastured upon them. At present their range is confined to the parks, the adjoining timbered areas being untouched by them; there- fore at present there is no question concerning any injury to the forests by them.
There has been some prospecting for minerals in these mountains for several years, but few discoveries have been made which have shown sufficient promise to induce regular work. Some mining has been done upon Bald Mountain, near Cloud Peak, near Black Mountain, on Tongue River, and on Wolf Creek. On the whole, however, the mining industry is at present a trifling matter.
There is no arable land within the limits of the reserve. Although there is an abundance of open country and of water for irrigation, the altitude is so great, and consequently the climate is so severe, that the cultivation of any but the hardiest crops is impracticable.
TETON AND SOUTHERN PART OF YELLOWSTONE PARK RESERVE.
Dr. T. 8. Brandegee commenced work about the Ist of July and con- cluded about the end of September.
Topography.—The principal relief features are simple. Traversing _ the reserve from north to south, near its western boundary is the Teton Range. This has an average breadth of 12 to 15 miles, and is extremely rugged, rising in the highest summit, the Grand Teton, to an altitude of 13,876 feet, while the average altitude of the range is probably not
c
GANNETT.] TETON AND YELLOWSTONE PARK RESERVE. 55
far from 12,000 feet. On the west the mountains descend quite steeply to Teton Basin, across the eastern upper edge of which runs the west boundary of the reserve, at an altitude of 6,500 to 7,000 feet. On the east the Teton Range descends by cliffs and extremely steep slopes to the valley known as Jackson Hole. This is a broad expanse, extend- ing from the north boundary of the reserve in a direction a little west of south to the southern boundary. Its breadth ranges from 10 to 12 miles, and its altitude within the reserve from 6,500 to 7,000 feet. It is drained by Snake River, which traverses it from north to south, receiv- ing the waters of several large branches from the east, including Buf- falo and Gros Ventre rivers. There are several lakes in the valley, the largest of which is Jackson Lake, near the north boundary of the reserve, through which flows Snake River. The surface of the valley is in the main a gravelly bench land, quite level, and producing a scanty growth of sagebrush interspersed with grass. The bottom land of the river is broad and inclosed between low bluffs. It is covered with a dense growth of cottonwoods, willows, and brush.
The country east of Jackson Hole consists of high, massive mountain spurs, descending from a high plateau, 11,000 to 12,000 feet in altitude, whose crest lies east of the reserve. In this plateau head Pacific Creek, Buffalo River, and the Gros Ventre, which flow westward, through narrow valleys, to the Snake.
Forests.—The broad, rugged summit of the Teton Range is without forests, partly because of its great altitude and partly because of its extremely rugged character. The small portion of the Teton Basin which is within the reserve, and most of the area of Jackson Hole, together with the lower portions of the narrow valleys of Buffalo and Gros Ventre rivers, are also naturally treeless. The remaining portion of the reserve is covered, but more or less sparsely, with timber growth. In few localities is the timber such as could properly be called dense, and the trees are nowhere large. Over most of this area the timber is scattered in small groves, interspersed among open, park-like areas. Four-fifths of the timber consists of lodgepole pine (Pinus murrayana), the remainder of Engelmann spruce, red fir, juniper, and aspen. The trees are small and of little service for any purpose other than fire- wood, fencing, and such uses. Thus, although the entire area in which timber is found is well adapted in climate and soil to timber growth, the amount of timber contained upon it at present is trifling. All indications point to fire as the cause for this condition of things. It is evident that in times past this region has been devastated by fire so frequently that forest growth has been well-nigh prevented. The proof of this is seen in the existence everywhere of dead and charred stumps of trees and fallen logs, and in the fact that over great areas young timber is starting.
Upon the whole reserve it is estimated that there are not over 22,000 acres of merchantable timber—that is, of size suitable for saw logs—and
56 FOREST RESERVES.
that they contain not over 75,000,000 feet B. M. of lumber. These areas are scattered widely over the reserve.
Agricultural lands.—As stated above, the west boundary includes a small area of the upper part of Teton Basin. Thisis a triangular tract, widest at the north, where it may be 6 miles in width, and diminishing southward to a point. Nearly all of T. 40 N., R. 118, is within this area; also the west half of T. 44 N., R. 118; and the western tiers of sections in T. 43, R. 118, areineluded within it. Although elevated and cold, and therefore capable of producing only the hardiest crops, this land is susceptible of irrigation and cultivation.
Jackson Hole comprises a large amount of agricultural land. Its situation is favorable for irrigation, and the supply of water is ample for the entire area. The altitude, however, is high, and the consequent severity of the climate will prevent the production of anything except the hardiest vegetables and grains. Its value as agricultural land is not, therefore, great. The area included in this valley is as follows:
In R. 113 W., the three western tiers of sections of T. 46 N. and the south half of T. 45 N.
In R. 114 W., the north half of Ts. 46, 45, and 44.
In R. 115 W., the west half of Ts. 46, 45, 44, and 43.
In R. 116 W., the two eastern tiers of sections of T. 44 and the east half of T. 43.
The above tracts comprise all the land within the reserve which can be classed as agricultural.
Settlement.—There are within the reserve 40 ranches, of which 19 are in the Teton Basin, at the west foot of the Teton Range, the remain- ing 21 being in Jackson Hole. They are for the most part only hay ranches. On each of them are kept a few head of cattle, which range in summer and are fed wild hay in the winter. No attempt, so far as known, has been made to cultivate crops in either locality. The stock kept in Jackson Hole are few in number and their range thus far has been limited to the valley. There are no sheep ranged within the reserve.
Two sawmills are in operation cutting timber within it. Both are small and are located at the west base of the Teton Range, one upon the creek flowing west of Teton Pass, the other upon Darby Creek.
Settlements in the neighborhood of this reserve being extremely sparse, there is scarcely any demand for lumber, and none may be anticipated in the immediate future.
The only means of communication are by wagon road and trails. The only wagon road of importance within the region is that which, coming from the west, crosses the Teton Range at Teton Pass, and, descending to Jackson Hole, follows up Snake River into Yellowstone Park, with a branch leading over the divide at Grassy Lakes and down Falls River.
GANNETT. } SUMMARY OF FIELD WORK.
On -~l
BITTERROOT RESERVE.
The area of the reserve is 6,480 square miles, or 4,147,200 acres, of which 3,456,000 are in Idaho and 691,200 are in Montana.
Only a portion of this reserve was examiued in detail, consisting of the Montana part, together with a small area upon Magruder Fork of Clearwater River.
Topography.—The State line between Montana and Idaho follows the crest of the Bitterroot Range, a broad and rugged mass of mountains, rising to altitudes of 6,000 feet in the passes and to 10,000 feet on the highest peaks. The descent on the east is short and abrupt to the val- ley of Bitterroot River. Upon the west the spurs are long and the streams flowing westward into the Clearwater are, in the main, in deep canyons.
The east boundary of the reserve as at present established crosses during the most of its course the mountain spurs and gorges just above the Bitterroot Valley, but near the south end of the valley the reserve is extended eastward, so as to include the drainage area of the South and West forks of the Bitterroot. Here the stream is divided into several branches, these being in narrow valleys separated by spurs of consid- erable height.
Upon the west side of the divide, in Idaho, the country so far as examined consists of an alternation of high mountain spurs and deep narrow gorges.
Forests.—At great altitudes and upon the sides and summits of the rocky spurs the forests are scanty and poor. It is only in the lower country, especially in the upper valleys of the branches of the Bitter- root, in the canyons of its tributaries farther north, and on the lower slopes of the mountains, that forests of economic value are found. There may accordingly be distinguished two zones of forest distribu- tion, depending upon altitude. The lower of these may be distinguished as the yellow-pine zone, the upper as that of the alpine-fir zone. The areas occupied by these two zones constitute, respectively, 26 per cent and 74 per cent of the Montana portion of the reserve.
The timber in the yellow-pine zone consists mainly of red fir and yellow pine in the proportion of 60 per cent and 30 per cent, the remainder being of other and less valuable species. In the subalpine zone nine-tenths of the timber consists of lodgepole pine, which is of little commercial value. The heaviest and most valuable stands of timber are found upon the upper waters of Bitterroot River, in the southeastern part of the reserve.
The total amount of merchantable timber in the Montana portion of the reserve is estimated at 554,500,000 feet B. M., including in this only that which is suitable for saw purposes. This consists entirely of yel- low pine and red fir. No estimate has been made of the amount of lodgepole pine, as this is of little value for lumber purposes, since it is situated in inaccessible localities.
58 FOREST RESERVES.
Outside the reserve, on the bench lands in the Bitterroot Valley adjoining the reserve, is a large amount of timber, estimated at 467,000,000 feet, or an amount nearly equal tc that included within the Montana portion of the reserve.
Upon the Idaho side of the divide there was examined an area of about 650 square miles. Similar zones of timber were recognized here— the subalpine zone, which comprised about 400 square miles, and the yellow-pine zone, comprising about 250 square miles. The subalpine zone is here as worthless for timber as upon the Montana side, the only timber suitable for the sawmill being in the yellow-pine zone. The estimated stand of timber within this area is 450,000,000 feet B. M., of which far the greater part consists of yellow pine, with a considerable quantity of red fir and about 72,000,000 feet of cedar. This cedar is found in dense groves in the bottoms of canyons, where a partial damming of the stream has produced marshy conditions. The density of its growth may be understood by the statement that in the areas occupied by it its stand is, on an average, 40,000 feet B. M. to the acre.
Agricultural lands.—There are no agricultural lands within the region examined on the Idaho side, and on the Montana side such areas are of trifling extent. They are situated in the valleys of South Fork, Little South Fork, West Fork, and Little West Fork. Altogether they are estimated to comprise about 1,500 acres.
Grazing.—The hillsides of the upper portion of the Bitterroot Valley are utilized to some extent for grazing. No sheep are pastured there, only cattle and horses, and no appreciable damage appears to be done by this grazing.
Mining.—There is no mining within that part of the reserve exam- ined, except in the southeastern portion. In the valley of the South Fork many claims have been taken up upon Slate, Overwhich, Hughes, and Coal creeks, and some mining is being done, but upon a limited scale.
Timber cutting.—The cutting of timber upon the reserve may be grouped under three heads: (1) The cutting by squatters to improve their holdings, (2) cutting by pretended squatters for the market, and (3) cutting under timber permits. The first of these is of little moment; the third is by far the greatest. Altogether there has been logged within the Montana portion of the reserve an area estimated at 6,500 acres. In some cases the timber has been entirely removed and in others it has been only partially done, the timber being floated down Bitterroot River to the mills.
There are several mills in the Bitterroot Valley, the largest and most important of which is that of the Bitterroot Development Company, which supplies lumber to the Anaconda mine and to the general market.
The merchantable timber in the Montana portion of the reserve is comparatively easy of access and can all be readily logged. At the
GANNETT. ] PRIEST RIVER RESERVE. 58)
present rate of cutting the standing timber will in a few years be exhausted.
Forest fires.—Fires upon the Montana side of the reserve have prob- ably been as extensive as elsewhere in the West, but have done far less damage to the merchantable timber, owing to the fact that yellow pine and red fir offer greater resistance to fires than do trees of other species. Probably not more than 5 per cent of the forests of these spe- cies has been destroyed. . Higher up, in the subalpine zone, however, fires have been more disastrous, and it is estimated that fully 80 per cent of the wooded portion of this zone has been visited by fires within the last twenty-five or thirty years. While the destruction of mer- chantable timber by these fires has been slight, their effect upon the stream flow has in all probability been serious. The streams flowing eastward from the Bitterroot Mountains into Bitterroot River have very short, straight courses and an extremely steep descent. The clearing of the forests from their headwaters can not fail to change their regimen in such wise as to produce disastrous floods at one time of the year and low water during the remainder, thus inflicting double injury upon the agricultural interests in the valley.
The above description of the forest conditions of the eastern portion of the Bitterroot Reserve is derived from a report made by Mr. Leiberg, who devoted the last half of the season to its examination.
PRIEST RIVER RESERVE.
Mr. Leiberg commenced work upon the Priest River Reserve J uly 1, and finished the examination of that reserve in August.
The reserve comprises the drainage basin of Priest Lake and River, together with certain small bodies of land in the southern part drained directly to Clarke Fork. It lies mainly in the State of Idaho, a small portion of its area being comprised in northeastern Washington. Its area in Idaho is estimated at 552,960 acres, and that in Washington at 92,160, a total of 645,120 acres, or a little over 1,000 square miles.
Topography.—lt is mainly a mountainous region, the level tracts forming probably not more than 12 or 14 per cent of the whole. In elevation it ranges from 2,000 to 8,000 feet. The reserve is composed mainly of the opposing slopes of two mountain ranges, one upon each side of the valley which incloses Priest Lake and River, and the sum- mits of which form the east and west limits of the reserve. These two ranges converge nearly to a point at the north boundary of the reserve. The east range is an extension northwestward of the Cabinet Range; the western will be called here Pend Oreille Range. Of the two the Cabinet Range is the higher, its summit having an average altitude of about 6,000 feet, with peaks rising to 8,000, and is extremely rugged. The Pend Oreille Range is much less rugged than its neighbor and is less elevated, rarely rising above 6,000 feet. Priest. Lake, which occu. pies a portion of the valley between the two ranges, is composed of two
60 FOREST RESERVES.
parts. The upper portion is about 2 miles Jong and a mile wide. The lower portion is the main Jake. It has a length of about 18 miles and is from one-half a mile to 5 miles in width. It is drained southward by Priest River to Clarke Fork. ;
Forests.—The Priest River Reserve is essentially a forest-covered region. There are but few tracts within its boundaries that do not now, or did not a few years ago, support a dense, magnificent forest. The only areas destitute of forests from natural causes are marshes and the rocky crests and slides in the mountains. These, together with the water surface of the lakes and streams, are estimated to aggregate about 50,000 acres, which is only 8 per cent of the entire area.
The forests of this reserve may be grouped, for descriptive purposes, in three zones, depending upon altitude, distinguished as (1) subalpine fir, (2) white pine, and (3) yellow pine. The first of these comprises the area lying above an altitude of about 4,800 feet. The trees found within it are almost exclusively the subalpine fir and the whitebark pine, mainly the former. Neither of these species is of importance to the lumberman, largely because of the inaccessibility of its habitat.
The white-pine zone is the predominant one. Jt is found mainly between altitudes of 2,400 and 4,800 feet abave sea level, altitudes which comprise about four-fifths of the forested portion of the reserve. The chief species found in this portion of the reserve are Western white pine and tamarack, although there are several other species of com- mercial importance mingled with them, such as cedar, Engelmann spruce, western hemlock, and white fir. The heaviest growth eccurs on the level areas bordering the principal streams and is most abun- dant in the western half of the reserve. This zone is far the most important of those above mentioned from a commercial standpoint, containing much the largest quantity of commercial timber and being generally easy of access.
The yellow-pine zone lies below that of the white-pine, but the line of demarcation is not always easy to establish, the two zones merging into each other by insensible degrees. The principal species within this zone are the yellow pine, red fir, and white fir, nearly three-fourths of the timber consisting of red fir. The first two of these species are of commercial value.
The amount of merchantable timber at present contained in the reserve is estimated at 4,833 million feet B. M., including that suit- able for saw timber, railway ties, and telegraph poles. The amount available for each of these several purposes is estimated as follows:
M feet B. M. Sawer Gim em asc apc aya ae ON a ee ete ei NE ees st ee a ee re te 1, 903, 600 Railroad ties cass tey shy fe es Pee ae eS SS eT SLE TST ein ap et 2, 720, 000 ‘Relegraphi poles). 2c (e)s 3s ge ais Sees sete mets ee hte a eeereey oe Pa re pete 210, 000
The forests have suffered greatly from fires at various times in the past, as is indicated by the fact that the forest is of widely differing
GANNETT] WASHINGTON RESERVE. 61
age in different parts. The reserve contains bodies of timber of all ages, ranging from 250 and 300 years down to young saplings of a few years of age only, and the ground under the young trees is thickly strewn with fallen logs, charred and partially rotten, the remains of the fires.
It is estimated that if the reserve had remained untouched by recent fires it would contain at present 16,250 million feet B. M. of timber, instead of less than 5,000, million, which it contains at present. More than 11,000 million feet of timber has been destroyed by fire within the last thirty-five years, without benefiting anyone.
Outting.—But little cutting has been done upon the reserve. Most of that consisted of tie timber and piling used in the construction of the Great Northern Railway. Last summer parties were cutting west- ern white pine in small quantities and shipping it out. Aside from this the only consumption of timber upon the reserve has been by settlers for their improvements and for fuel.
The only means available at the present time for transporting lum- ber out of the reserve is by driving down Priest River to the Great Northern Railway.
Arable lands.—The arable lands are found entirely in the Clarke Fork Valley and in that of Priest Lake and River, the whole aggregating about 10,000 acres. They consist of high ground covered with sedges or grass, marshes which can be reclaimed, grass land subject to over- flow, and cleared land on the benches adjacent to streams. The bulk of them are situated on the western side of the valley of Priest Lake and River, where the rock formation is softer and the valleys are con- sequently broader and more level. The greater portion of these tracts is held by settlers.
Many squatters’ claims have been located in the white-pine forest, ostensibly for agricultural purposes, but less than 5 acres have been cleared altogether from the living white-pine forest.
Mineral claims.—Many claims have been located within the reserve, but none have been as yet sufticiently developed to show profitable deposits.
WASHINGTON RESERVE.
This being much the largest of all the areas to be examined, and by far the most important from an economic standpoint, much fuller pro- vision was made for its examination than.in the case of the other reserves. For the examination of the portion of this reserve lying east of the divide of the Cascade Range, Messrs. W. G. Steel and M. W. Gorman were employed. They commenced work about the middle of August and completed it in the latter part of November. Tor the western portion Mr. H. B. Ayres was employed, and to its examina- tion he devoted four and a half months—from the middle of July to the end of November.
62 FOREST RESERVES.
Topography.—This reserve is composed almost entirely of high moun- tain ranges intersected by deep valleys. It is traversed by the crest of the Cascade Range, which, entering the reserve from British Colum- bia, near longitude 120° 45’, trends in a generally southwesterly direc- tion across the reserve, although making several great turns to the south and west in its course. This crest and the mountains in its neigh- borhood are extremely rugged, rising to altitudes exceeding 10,000 feet, and contain many glaciers. Eastward and westward from the crest the mountains diminish in altitude.
West of the divide the reserve is drained westward to Puget Sound, mainly by Skagit and Stilaguamish rivers and their branches. East of the divide the Methow and Stebekin rivers drain it to Columbia River.
The rainfall is heavy upon the western slope of the range. Upon the eastern side it is decidedly less, so that irrigation is commonly required for the production of crops. The streams are numerous and bold. The rainfall is, however, less than it has been in past time, as is evidenced by the fact that every canyon and gorge leading out of the mountains has been until recently the bed of a glacier, whose remains still exist, occupying the mountain valleys.
Forests.—Almost the entire area of the reserve is naturally a forested region, with the exception of a few small tracts, which are above tim- ber line, or which are composed of rocky mountain slopes, upon which there is not sufficient soil for trees to obtain footing, and with the excep- tion of the valley of Methow River in the east. The natural forest growth differs greatly in density in different parts. It is densest in the lower valleys on the west side, and diminishes in density as the summit of the range is approached. The east side of the mountains is much less densely forested than the west side, and the forests diminish as the elevation becomes less upon the east side. This arrangement of the forests has, however, been interfered with greatly by fires, which have denuded large areas entirely and have reduced the density in other places. The results of these fires have been more disastrous on the east side than on the west, owing to its generally drier conditions.
The commonest tree upon the reserve is the western hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana). Far the greater part of the timber on the reserve con- sists of this species.
Another common tree is the Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), which is found along streams up to an altitude of 2,000 feet.
Red fir (Pseudotsuga taxifolia) is found in the bench lands of the valleys and the lower mountain slopes.
Cedar (Thuja plicata) is found mixed with red fir and hemlock in the bottom lands and on mountain tops.
Mountain cedar (Chamecyparis nootkatensis) is found on mountain slopes above 2,000 feet.
GANNETT. ] WASHINGTON RESERVE. 63
Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni) is found at high altitudes, and is small and difficult of access.
White fir (Abies grandis) is found on moist land and northern slopes up to 5,000 feet.
Abies amabilis is found on moist land and northern slopes up to 4,000 feet.
Alpine fir (A dies lastocarpa) is found on the higher slopes and summits.
White pine (Pinus monticola) isfound sparingly at medium altitudes on bench lands and lower mountain slopes.
Yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa) is found in the drier parts of the upper Skagit Valley and generally in the lower portions of the eastern part of the reserve.
The lodgepole pine (Pinus murrayana) is found sparingly in dry bench lands and generally in the drier eastern portions of the reserve.
White-bark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is sparsely distributed at high altitudes.
Alpine larch (Larix lyellii) is not uncommon along the summit of the Cascade Range from Cascade Pass northward.
The principal among these species for lumber purposes are the hem- lock, spruce, red fir, cedar, and yellow pine.
The total amount of standing timber upon this reserve is estimated to be not far from 20,000 million feet B. M., two-thirds of which is hem- lock, the remainder being distributed among the other species.
Agricultural land.—The tracts of land within the limits of the reserve which are suitable for agriculture are numerous but individually small in area. On the west side of the divide, where the rainfall is abundant and irrigation is not necessary for the cultivation of crops, all the flat valley land not at too great elevation is of value for this purpose. Such lands are as follows:
A strip along each fork of the Stilaguamish 3 miles in breadth.
The valley of Sauk River below the south fork of the north fork, 3 miles in width.
In the valley of Suiattle River for a distance of 12 miles within the reserve, with an average breadth of 1 mile.
The valley of Cascade River for a distance of 6 miles within the west boundary of the reserve, by half a mile in width.
The valley of Skagit River, from Ruby Creek to Goodells, with an average breadth of 2 miles.
The valley of Baker River, from Baker Lake to the boundary of the reserve, with an average breadth of 4 miles, and above Baker Lake, with a breadth of 1 mile.
The valley of North Fork of Nooksack River, below Ruby Creek, with a width of 1 mile.
The total area of these tracts is estimated at 230 square miles. Upon the east side of the divide the agricultural lands generally require irrigation, and are therefore limited, not only by their location
64 FOREST RESERVES.
and surface, but by the amount of water available. They are as fol- lows: A few tracts in the Methow Valley and along Twisp River, a few trifling patches on the shores of Lake Chelan, and a narrow strip in the valley of Stehekin River. Altogether, the area of the arable land in this part of the reserve is trifling, and has already been filed upon or is held by squatters. z
Grazing.—There is very little pasturing of stock within the reserve, and none whatever of sheep. The western portion of the reserve affords but little pasturage, owing to the density of the forest. The eastern portion, on the other hand, affords much excellent summer grazing in the high mountain valleys and slopes, but it is little utilized as yet.
Means of communication.—These are extremely scanty. The Everett and Monte Cristo Railway, which connected the mines at Monte Cristo with Everett, upon Puget Sound, some 60 miles, ran for half its dis- tance within the lines of the reserve. This, however, has been com- pletely washed out recently, and is, it is understood, not to be rebuilt. There are wagon roads from Barlow Pass to Goat Lake, trom the mouth of White Chuck River down Sauk River, and along Cascade River, all on the west side of the reserve. These form about 30 miles of wagon roads within the reserve on this side. Upon the east side there is a road for a short distance up the valley of Methow River.
There are numerous trails, passable for pack horses, connecting dif- ferent portions of the reserve. The principal one of these, which con- nects the valley of Methow River with Marblemount, at the junction of Cascade and Skagit rivers, by way of the Twisp, Bridge Creek, Stehekin River, and Cascade Pass, is now being improved at the expense of the State, and may be developed into a wagon road.
Mining.—There is considerable mining, consisting mainly of develop- ment work, going on within the reserve. At Monte Cristo and Silver- ton are developed producing mines, which were worked actively until the recent destruction by flood of the Everett and Monte Cristo Railway. These two mining camps contained several hundred inhabitants each. The destruction of the road has, however, caused a cessation of activity. Mineral discoveries have been made at other points along this road and in its neighborhood.
Many discoveries have been made in the Ruby Creek mining district, on the upper waters of Skagit River, in the Methow district, on the upper waters of the Methow, and in the mountains west of the upper end of Lake Chelan, but, owing to lack of transportation, little has been done beyond development work.
Settlements.—Upon the west side, the mining towns of Monte Cristo and Silverton have already been mentioned. Besides these there is some little settlement in the valley of the Stilaguamish below Silverton. Upon the Sauk, within the reserve, there are a few ranches. Upon Cascade River are three or four ranches, and there is some settlement
GANNETT] SAN JACINTO RESERVE. 65
in the Ruby Creek district depending upon the mines. Upon the east side there are a number of ranches in the Methow Valley, including the little town of Winthrop and the mining village of Camp Gilbert. Upon Lake Chelan there are a few ranches and the hotel at the head of the lake. A few miners are located upon Railroad and Company creeks, west of the upper portion of the lake.
Timber cutting—There is no timber cutting within the reserve, except a trifling amount for the local needs of the settlers and mines. There is at present very little demand for its timber, the general market being supplied by the forests farther west.
The facilities for getting timber out of the reserve are very poor. With the exception of the trifling amount of wagon roads, the only routes would be by the streams, and these are extremely rapid and rocky. Much work would be required upon them to make them suitable for driving logs.
SAN JACINTO RESERVE.
The three reserves in southern California—San Jacinto, San Bernar- dino, and San Gabriel—were examined by Mr. J. B. Leiberg in the _ spring of 1898, and his preliminary report upon them forms part of the present volume. The fuller and more complete report upon these reserves will be published later.
The San Jacinto Forest Reserve comprises about 740,000 acres, or about 1,160 square miles. It is a mountainous and broken country, comprising the San Jacinto and Toro ranges and the Toro and Coahuila mesas. The rock formation is granite or allied rocks.
The elevation ranges from 3,000 to 10,000 feet. The lower portion— up to an altitude of about 5,600 feet—is arid and is covered with a dense growth of chaparral. Above 5,000 feet the country is wooded, the timber consisting almost entirely of yellow pine, with a little sugar pine and Coulter’s pine and other species scattered sparsely through it. Of the entire area of the reserve 141,000 acres only are timbered, and upon this land there is, it is estimated, timber to the amount of 91,110,000 feet 6. M. Of its area only 2,000 acres are under cultiva- tion, and to a small extent only is it used for pasturage.
There has been considerable timber cutting in the reserve, but at present there are only two small mills operating there. As the region lies within the land grant of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, one-half of the area, consisting of alternate sections, belongs to that corporation.
SAN BERNARDINO RESERVE.
This reserve comprises an area of 737,000 acres. It consists wholly of the San Bernardino Range, a somewhat complex mass with a northwest-southeast trend. The altitude ranges from 3,000 to 11,600 feet upon the highest summit of the range. The rock formation
19 GEOL, PT 5 5
66 FOREST RESERVES.
is almost entirely granite. As in the San Jacinto Reserve, the lower portion of this reserve is covered with dense chaparral, running up to- an altitude of about 5,000 feet. The lands above the latter elevation are covered with open forests, consisting almost exclusively of yellow pine. These timbered areas comprise, it is estimated, 246,000 acres, or about one-third the area of the reserve. Besides this there is an area of 64,000 acres upon the north side of the range, within the reserve, covered with pion pine and juniper, which is of no value for lumber purposes, but is serviceable for firewood. The estimated amount of merchantable timber upon the reserve is 479,440,000 feet B. M.
The cultivated tracts upon the reserve amount, in the aggregate, to: only 1,200 acres.
The reserve is but little used for pasturage purposes, although the pasturage is excellent in the pine forests.
SAN GABRIEL RESERVE.
This reserve comprises the Sierra Madre of southern California, an extension to the northwestward of the San Bernardino Range. The area of the reserve is 550,000 acres, but about 650,000 acres were examined. The region ranges in altitude from 1,000 to 10,000 feet—the summit of the highest peak, ““Old Baldy.” Up to an altitude of 5,000 feet, as in the other reserves, it is covered with chaparral, while above this elevation the high mountain valleys and the mountains them- selves are covered with an open forest, consisting largely of yellow pine. The timbered areas comprise about 100,000 acres, and the amount of merchantable timber within the reserve is estimated at 60,000,000 feet B. M. All of it is of inferior quality, being short and knotty, and a great part of it is, at present at least, inaccessible. There is little cultivated land within the reserve.
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