Fergus County Democrat., 1906-12-11

creeks. when seen in mid-July, show
no sign of ever being completely melt
| ed. Rock creek has even a small grac-
ier at its hsad. Snow lies at a depth OF
from three to six feet in winter, ana
travel is then possible only on skees.
In July and August there are frequent
thunder showers among the peaks
The forest is typical of the LOO dgepole
pine forest of the Rockies, and that
species grows in pure stand over three-
tenths Of the timbered area. Red fur
covers on tenth in pure stand. and the
remaining five-tenths is a mixture o,
the two species, with the lodgepole pine
predominating. In scattered growth
thsre Is some lumber pine, balsam fur.
Juniper, EnSelmann spruce and the u.s.
ual cottonwood and willow III the creek
bottoms. Of the two main types. the
iodgepole pine will average about 1905
feat, board measure, to the acre. the
red fir 5000 feet Lumber opera tions
are carried on on the reserve by six
mills. Since only the large trees are
taken numbering would be beneficial if
hres did not almost invariably follow.
Timber is used for ties, fuel and ranch
building. The greatest importance or
the forest, consequently, is as "a pro-
tective cover to conserve the heavy
snowfall and rainfall, since the Crazy
mountains form natural water sur
ply area for growing and prosperous
farming country in the foothill regln,,
around them
Within the limits Of the reserve SHEEP
ZINC c tha i'm,
About 100000 sheep are ranged th=rr.
and some 200 goats There are possi-
blv 5000 cattle and horses on the re-
serve. AS whole, the Crazy mountain.
forest reserve is intended to serve five
principal uses-it will maintain a ma
tural reservoir for the surrounding |
country, which belongs to the import
an TYPE Of ''sub-irrigated land" will |
preserve several excellent water power
sites: will prevent numbering vast and |
viii insure permanencv to the lun1-
Der supply; will eauitably settle the |
grazing problem, and will prevent fires.
The total area is ga. .76O acres.
The Kootenai forest reserve in the
extreme northwestern part of the state
lie swtihin the great southwark bend |
Of the Kootenai river, which returns
northward into the Dominion of Cana
"a. The reserve, which contains about
SS',36O acres, is natural forest region.
Ninety nine and one-half per cent of
the area is either covered with forest,
or, having been denuded, is capable of
II forestation. Under forest growth the
land improves, while under cultivation
the soil is impoverished unless gener-
Gus fertilized, is easily eroded and on
high ground becomes arid Conse-
quently 1t has but little value for a9ri-
culture. Its highest altitude, which is
along the international boundary line
On he Purcell range and I<ootenai
ranges from $500 10 1000
-et. Nearly all Of the timber within
the reserve is at present inaccessible,
EXCEPT that on the bottom lands ana
bench lands that border directly upon
he kootenai river. 1t is admirably
ADAPTED for the conservation Of mois-
.ure, and is an important factor in
the perpetual flow Of Ger
ain naVigable streams.
All of the rivers draining through
his region flow directly into tn koote.
l@l, one of the most important tribu-
aries to the Columbia river, a great
u t'iN ~ western commerce. Inc hoo
enai also has b en- used for many
ears for the navigation of steam craft
10Th in the United States and in Can.
Ida
The protection of the forest growth
ver this drainage area is Their fore.
matter of great Importance 10 a wide
tretch Of country. The efforts of the
crest service in caring for this reserve
VII be directed particularly toward
preventing forest fires, which at pres
ut constitute the chief source of dang
+ to the timber. 1t also should be un,
erstood that none of the resources OF
ny of the forest reserve areas have
cen Withdrawn from use, and that
lmber water, mineral and other re-
ources will continue to be open for use :
Or the people.
lXocs isyy? cffivff Fors cWw G$aooo
The Lolo forest reserve lies in Mis- :
oula county and has for it's boundaries
le north and northeast, the Bitter
loot valley on tn east, the Bitter Root
Drest reserve and the Montana Idaho
ne on the south, southwest and west |
he country is mountainous, the state
ne following the summit of the divide
etWeen the Snake and Columbia riv-
rs, ana the elevations rang from 1000
} 5000 feet
Since The new reserve takes the form
a strip J TO rs miles Wide am about
70 miles long, lying wholly along the