Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1872-08-01
BozgnAs, July 2oh, 1917.

shAs ss--Alsr Necessity Gf Encouraging
She Cultivation ~ Timber lands.
BozgnAs, July 2oa,, 1872.
Fer the AvAs1 Gourmet:
Among tile reports IL the last volume Of
Tile Geological Survey 81 the Territories, Is
one bs Prot. Gyms Thomas Of scarcely less
Interest. especially 70 the western reader,
thar that of Prof. Hayden on the wonders 81
the Yellowstone. contained IN tile same yoI-
unae. threats OF the agricultural resources
Of the Rocky Mountain region north OF Salt
Lake but Is this paper wish to call attell-
ton to only one portion OF It, III which thu
question Of our timber supply is touched mp
on.
Whenwe look up to the dark, pille-clad
slopes Of our mountains. a good many OF us
will probably think that we have there sup
ply abundant enough to last forever; but
before we adopt that opinion and consider
the matter settled, let lis look at the matter
"a little closer.
West OF the Tooth meridian we find very
little timber outside Of the different ranges OF
the Rocky Mountains. IF we travel East
from tlisplace, we pass through an almost
treelees Tegion, from the time we strike the
Yellowstone until we cross Red River, while
this same poorly fimhered country stretches
away towards the north. far mp into the Brit
ish possessions. A very few well timbered
spots are to be found in this vast extent Of
country; but they will furnish sufficient.
supply only for the future settlers in their
immediate neighboshood, while by fur the
greater portion viii be compelled TO draw its
supply from tie Rocky Mountains.
The Black Hills will furnish some timber,
but mainly to the country cast Of them, to
which it will no doubt be noated down the
Cheyenne, as suggested by Prot. Hayden in
one OF his reports over two years ago. "A
great deal will be shipped from the Big Horn
and Wind River Mountains, as the country
is well timbered along the tributaries of all
The streams emptying into the Yellowstone
from the south, and these streams furnish
splendid wafer-power for saw mills, but it
will be-years before that country viii be de-
yeloped, and meanwhile two great railroads
are being built, which will need many mil
lions of feet of lumber for bridges, ties, tres
tie work. ETC., and all that has to come Fl ON
these mountains, while our own consump-
tion Of wood and timber for building fencing
and other purposes increases yearly in much
greater ratio than the population. We must
remember that we have only just commenced
our inroads on the forests, and yet ia many
places nearly all the most easily accessible
timber has been cut down. and every year
compels us to 60 fartaer back into the noun
tain Businesses. Willie the fires destroy year
1y thousands OF acres of forest.
We are accustomed to hearing much
about the magnificent forests of California.
but let Us see what G. e. Reed. the President
OF the California State Board of Agriculture
says on this subject IN bis report for 1869.
1t IS now but about twenty years since the
consumption of timber and lumber COM
mcnced in California, and yet we have the
opinion OF good judges, the best lumber deal
ers in the State, that at least one-thirti OF all
otiraceessibe timber Of value Is already con-
$ lned aud destroyed. If we we're to esti-
SAM The consumption and des truetion At the
would require only forty years iherefore I'd
exhaust our present. supply. This, IN itself.
seems like startling proposition. but let us
look little farther. and we shall find truths
and considerations more startling still. In
the twenty years To- come re will probably
more than double our population but let Ms
assume that we will only double Il. Asa
general rs,le. II, Il new country the consuinp-
1lo1t OF Timber INCREASES IN about double the
ratio Of the population. Thus while fhe IL
crease OF the population of tire Unified Statas
from 1850 to 1860 was 81. so per cent. the in
crtstse Of the consumption of lumber was
$500 per cent. Upon this basis aud rule. tile
Whole available lumber OF our State will ba
consumed and destroyed in twenty years in
stead of forty
Probably not more than one-tWentieth mart
OF this territory is covered with valuable tim,
Der. and large portion of rliis is almost IN
acccssihie. II Is true, that right here in the
mountains and especially in the Northwest
around Fhthead Lake much grearer nro-
portion IS tlnbered; but then we have abso-
lHtely no timber East of tile mountains with
the exception Ut few stnhted pines and
some cottonwood along the rivers. ali yaiu,,.
bic Tor fuel but not tit for lumber.
The best judges have come to the conel,,-
sion liaat ole-third OF the surface of Il colr-
Try should be covered with forest. Gaolog;-
O,S' no ttlet all lIl0Se ffppfpSG
plains We're once covered with luxur;ant do
cIduous forests. but that they have prohahIv
been naked ever since the gEsciaI period ana
orr cry climate is a necessary.rasl1it of th;s
wait OF trees, While on the other hand tha
Climate now prevents forests from sprinying
up spontaneously on the prairies. The DRY
season follows so rapidly after the garmina;.
Ing period that all tender and delicate nla,,ts
like young trees OF all kinls,s grown firm,
seed. living on the surface, as they fall fro,n
The parent tree. are almost always dried mn
aud destroyed before they are four ,uontIas
old. Hence it is that section OF country
once stripped OF trees always remains naked
Once prairie, always prairie, until art comes
TO the assistance of nature. Hence that
our forests have been cut down
and cleared away, allowing the rays OF the
sun to fall directly Oh the ground, IS few
young trees, or trees of the second growth,
are to he found Transactions OF the Cal
State Agricultural Sociely, 1869.
Hon. e. T. Marsh. speaking. of the effaef
Of the destruction of forest upon tile differ
rnt countries Of the earth. There ], =,
parts of Asia Minor, Of Northern Africa. and
even OF Alpine Enrope, where the operation
pt causes. set i'll action by man. las brought
Tire face OF the earth to elas0lation almost
~ complete as that of the moon The de-
truciive changes, occasioned by the agency
Of man upon ths Hanks of the Abs. tl,e
p ifn4S and other maintain