Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1904-07-20
INFORMATION
IN REFERENCE
To Some of Arizona's
Large Forests.
Trees Representing Growth of One
Hundred and Eighty Years.
Sheep Grazing Destructive.

A study of forestry seems to be
especially esteemed in countries
where there are no longer forests to
study. Realizing how vital to the
welfare of a nation is the preservation
of its forests, the United States is
making an endeavor to study and i'm
prove the forests of this country while
there is yet time to preserve them.
In furtherance of this work the United
States Geological Survey has just
published Professional Paper No. %,
which bears the title "Forest Condi-
tions in the San Francisco Mountains
Forest Reserve, Arizona" This
paper embodies the results Of investi-
cations made during 1901 mad 1902 by
Messrs. John B. Iceberg, Theodore
F. Rixon and Arthur Dodwell, and is
preceded by an introduction written
by F. q. Plummer which is paIticu-
Isrly interesting.
The San Francisco Mountains Forest
Reserve comprises portions of the
broad summit and slopes of an elevat-
ed tract of land in north central Ari-
IONA, which includes the southern
part of the Colorado Plateau. The
northern part of the area is dotted by
several hundred volcanic cones and
the southern part is gashed by numer-
Gus deep canyons. The altitude of
the region ranges from 3, 500 feet at
Oak Greek in its southwestern spor-
ton to II, 1914 feet at the summit of
San Francisco Peaks.
Among the eoniferQus trees in the
reserve The yellow Pine constitutes
over 80 per cent. of the total forest.
The aspen takes first rank among the
broad leated species but has close
competitor in the oak. The chief
lumber tree at present is the yellow
pine, which is extensively cut and
furnishes all of the mill timber
sawed, used in, and exported from the
region. Its average total height is 50
feet, with about 10 feet of clear
trunk. The diamater averages Is
inches, which corresponds to an age
of $50 years. In the 8l2, 500 acres of
forest area examined, 2,743, 558, 900
feet 3. NJ. of standing timber were
found, which gives an average of
only 1877 feet B. NJ. per acre. 1t is
evident that the yellow pine stands
even where entirely untouched by the
ak, do not carry an average crop of
more than 40 per cent. of the timber
they are capable of producing. This
condition is chiefly attributable to
the numerous fires which have swept
over the region within the last two
hundred years, destroying Seeding
and sapling growth.
The chief agencies through which
the forests in the reserve suffer de-
struction are cutting, grazing and
fire.
Grazing, especially sheer herding,
is ruinous to the Seeding growth of
young forest. Sheep zfs piElcislly !,
teRd of the Young aspen, which spring
up as the first re-stockage on the nom.
torested park lands at the base and
On the slopes of San Francisco
Mountains. 1t was found that the
destruction of seedlings on any par
ocular tract of land ranged from 80
per cent. to total after a single pas
age over such ground by 1000 head of
heep.
Fires have been of frequent occur
'ence in all portions of the reserve
The badly burned areas, on which
ne destruction has been 60 per cent.
IT more, aggregate 679O acres. The
,rigin of fires in recent years may. in
art, be ascribed to the carelessness
# sheep herders in part to sparks
rom engines on the Atchison, Topeka,
nd Santa Fe Railroad, but by far the
anger number of fires are due to
lightning, and this ca use has, of
curse, always operated. Sections
xist on which 80 per cent. of the
nature yellow pine has been, either
7holly or in part killed by lightning
trokes.
Among other interesting questions
onsidered in this paper are the low
reproductive ratio of the yellow pine,
be influence of the forest on run-of
be grazing value OF the reserve and
be effects Of sheep herding: on the