, 1900-02-13
FOREST RESERVES
GOVERNMENT SURVEYORS TELL
OF THEIR EXTENT AND
TIMBER VALUE.
About $4,000 Acres in the Big Horn and
$4,000 in the Teton Not Yet Cut
Forest Fires are the Greatest Enc
mics of Timber-Prof. Mead's Pro-
posed New Experiments.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE United
States geological survey has publish
ed an interesting report of surveys
made of a number Of the forest reserves
OF the west, showing the timber re-
sources of these reserves and other in
formation. The report on the Big
Horn reserve of Wyoming states that
its area is l,s70 square miles or lbs
600 acres. The breadth images from
80 to 80 miles and the length is between
70 and 100 miles. The limits of the re-
serve conform in a general way to the
outlines Of the Big Horn mountains,
although not closely. The general al
titude is for the most part 1900 to g.
600 feet. The highest summit is Cloud
peak, with an altitude of 300 feet.
While the entire area of the reserve
with the exception of a small area
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 tim
bered region. 1t contains no large or
valuable timber. 1t is only in a few To-
c~alities that any timber suitable for the
sawmill Is found and a large proper
tional area, probably quite one-half,
consists Of the open parks. Nearly all
of the timber region has been burned
over, and much of it has been frequent
ly subjected to devastation from fires.
In the park areas it is evident that the
timber has been driven out completely
by fire. Or the timbered region, a large
ranging from ten to fifty years of age,
while the ground is strewn with dead
trees. the victims of fires. Almost all
o. the timber of the reserve consists
Of lodgepole pine. 1t is an inferior
wood for lumber purposes.
1t is estimated that in the entire re-
serve there are only 106 900 acres upon
which the timber is of sufficient size
to be considered merchantable, and Of
this about %, 900 acres have been cut
over for railroad ties, leaving approx
mately 81, 900 acres not cut over. Upon
this area it is estimated there are at
present 21O, 0OO, 900 feet B. NJ. of stand
ing timber. The entire area of the ne
serve is capable Of producing timber,
but of this area only Z per cen con-
tains merchantable timber at present.
The Big Horn mountains, the report
states, are used extensively as a sum
mer range for sheep. 1t is estimated
that during the summer Of 1897 over
5000 sheep were pastured upon them.
The range was confined to the parks,
and the adjoining timbered areas were
untouched by them.
The Teton reserve ~trayerses the Te-
ton rnage of mountains, in northwest
ern Wyoming. The average altitude
of the reserve is $1,000 feet, the high
est altitude is the summit OF the Grand
Teton. 1886 feet. The reserve in
cludes a portion of the valley known
as Jackson Hole. This is a broad ex-
Epanse, extending from the north boun-
dairy of the reserve to the southern
boundary. Its breadth is from ten to
twelve miles. 1t is drained by Snake
river, which traverses it from north
to south, receiving the waters Of sew
eral large branches from the east, in
Guiding Buffalo and Gros Ventre riv-
ers. The country east of Jackson Hole
consists of high, massive mountain
spurs, descending from a high plateau
II 900 to IL, 1000 feet in altitude, whose
crest lies east of the reserve. The
summit Of the Teton range is S!thCit
forests. The small portion OF the re-
ton Lasir which is within the reserve,
/ and most of the area of Jackson Hole,
together with the lower portions ct
the narrow valleys of Buffalo and Gros
Ventre rivers, are also naturally tree
less. The remaining portion of the re-
serve Is covered. 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 tim
Der is scattered In small groves, inter
! spersed among open, park-like areas.
Four-ffths Of the timber consists Of
lodgepole pine, spruce. red fir, Juniper
and aspen. The trees are small and of
little service for any purpose other than
firewood, fencing and such uses. The