The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-12-19
THE WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. DECEMBER 10, 1891.
FOREST RESERVES.

mis- "
ment that a large portion of the Bite
Root valley be set off as a forest reserve
several prominent residents OF that sec
ton have united in Il protest to Lam
Commissioner Carter against the prol
osition. They advance several reason
why it should not be done, some q
which deserve special consideration.
The object Of forest reserves as we mn
id melting of The SNOW which falls t
great depths on the mountains and thu
provide against floods and inundation
and second to guard against long-con
tinuch drouths. the suppositlon being
that trees upon mountain tops and sides
induce or produce rains.
The Bitter Root settlers take tia,
ground first: that fully 10 per cent ot
the area of the proposed reserve is pro.
tected from the axe by reason of its eN,
trcmely rugged and prccipitous char
actor. Second: that the lumber pine is
found only in the valleys and on the
lover foothills where snow never lies
late in the spring, being gone months
before the irrigating season. Third:
that it is an actual fact that the snow
remains later on the open ground than
in the heavy timber adjoining and
fourth. that the underground which
springs up where the larger trees are re-
moved is IA far better protection for the
snow than was the timber itself.
Those who have visited the Bitter
Root valley can bear testimony as to the
truth of the statements contained in the
first and second grounds taken by the
settlers and every observing Montanian
is a witness to the facts contained in the
third and fourth grounds. And these
latter are points which call for considera-
ton for what is true concerning the re-
tentioD of snow in the Bitter Root noun
tains is true concerning its retention
elsewhere in the state. If un~dcrgrOwths
and high bare areas in the Bitter Root
country retain snow longer than do
heavily wooded aims the same con
ditions elsewhere would produce the
same result. If these facts be estab-
lished the whole theory upon which it is
proposed to set apart forest reserves in
the Rocky mountains falls to the ground.
1t requires a longer article than the
columns Of the average daily newspaper
can afford to discuss these questions ex-
haustively. But a point or two may be
briefly touched upon. Every student of
physical geography knows that the pres.
ence Of trees upon mountains are not
rain factors. Other causes produce ram.
Here in Montana and to the westward
and southwestward rainfalls are due to
the evaporation of the warm waters OF
the great Japan current. The mists of
Oregon. carried by the trade winds east
ward, are condensed into the rain drops
by the cold air on the high mountains
over which they pass. 1t is the low
temperature Of the air at high attitudes,
not the trees. that causes mists to con-
dense and fall in the form Of rain. Heat
evaporates and cold contracts water.
Here are the causes of rain and snow
Falls in 4 nutshell.
Snow is retained longer on the north.
exposures Of mountains than on
southern. and still longer in the deep ra-
vines and canyons IN the northern side
Of mountains. No matter how thickly
wooded d southern exposure may be
snow rapidly disappears under a warm
sun. If Il mountain be bare. de
nudcd Of its timber, the snow drifts in
immense heaps and presents but Il lin
tied area 10 the action Of the suns rays
and is but slowly melted, whereas if it
were evenly distributed over IA larger
area il would quickly disappear. This
10 reason. Snow remains longer
in thick underground than under large
trees, FOR the reason that it Is better
sheltered, or rather that the suns heat
is more completely absorbed by the
Young shrubs.
The Bitter Root settlers are right on
all their propositions. The value Of for
preserves upon mountains does not
lie in their rain producing or snow-re
properties. They possess a great
"r value from a sanitary point Of view.
however. exercise IA powerful in
upon the climate in low clcva-
ton. In Germany, where the average
altitude Of the land does not much exceed
100 feet above the sea level, they are cul-
and preserved. In Montana ma
ture has drawn the limits Of our forest
They are at the SUBMITS and
of prccipitous and practically mac
;essible mountains. They should not be
land out on the valleys and foothills Of
the Bitter Root country. The timber
was designed for domestic uses. There
is an abundance in sight Of it which will
be reached by the woodman. Mr..
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