Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-05-16
The Timber Belts Of California.

The area Of timber land IN this State
is larger than many suppose. We have
obtained some facts from the Surveyor
Generals office, showing the extent OF
these timber belts. The pine belt COM
prises SO, 900 square miles, and reaches
from latitude 35 degrees and 40 minutes
south to latitude Al degrees and 40
minutes north--a distance OF about AGO
miles, covering generally the western
slope Of the Sierra thence it extends
westerly to within 80 miles VI the coast;
thence covering both slopes of the coast
range, it runs southerly for a distance
of about $50 miles, terminating in lati-
tude 80 degrees north. About one
third of this belt is surveyed.
The larger Of the two redwood belts
embraces an area Of 8 900 square miles,
extending distance north and south
of 300 miles. It begins about latitude
3S degrees north and near the Oregon
boundary. The average width of the
belt is about ten miles. About one.
half of this belt is surveyed. Then
there is the smaller redwood belt which
extends along the coast Range for about
20 miles and covering an area of about
400 square miles. Nearly all of this
belt is surveyed. There are also sever.
oil small isolated tracts OF pine timber
in the southern part OF the State, but
there is no large tract of timber land
south of latitude 35 degrees and 40
minutes. The following recapitulation
shows the main facts: ..r.
Square Miles. Acres.
Pine timber ........... $4,000 M,32O,OO0
Redwood timber. $3.50 2,336OO0
1t would seem, therefore, that the
area of redwood timber is only about
one-twelfth of that of the pine timber,
These figures, of course, do not take
account of the patches of oak timber
scattered over the State, and which
furnish nearly all the fuel consumed.
The small coast valleys, to considera.
BILE extent, are dotted over with the live
oak which is good for nothing except
for wood, and only makes a second
quality of fuel at that. 1t is a curious
fact that while this species of live oak
appears to be identical with that of
Florida and Georgia, it utterly lacks
the quality Of the latter as timber tree.
The mountains of the Coast Range also
contain considerable quantities of what
is commonly known as the chestnut oak.
the bark Of which is used by tanners.
This is better timber tree than the
live oak of the plains; but it is not good
enough for general use other than for
fine wood.
There is also the black mountain oak
of which little use is made except fuel.
Perhaps the timber from some of these
oaks can be made available by some
preserving process, but none has ever
been applied in any extensive way.
There are also isolated laurel trees,
sometimes also found in small groups
along runways, or on low moist ground.
These trees are all confined to narrow
belt along the Coast Range. Recently
some use has been made of the timber
for furniture and the finishing of more
costly house interiors and now and
then few pieces are used in the con-
struction and repairs of vessels. But
the quantity to be obtained is small,
and this timber will never make any
great figure in the resources of the
State.
There is also the small area of the
SequOla family ON the western Hank OF
the Sierra, the timber not differing
greatly in quality from the redwood.
Some OF the timber is worked up clan
destinely. It is all on unsurveyed
land, and the quantity is so small as to
be OF little consequence. Taking ac-
count as near as may be of these isolated
tracts. the timber area comprises some
thing more than one-third Of the entire
State, and would be sufficient, without
waste, to furnish all needed home sup.
plies for century to come. The waste
age. however, is enormous, and there is
little prospect that it will be less at
present. It will, however, ba offset in
some degree by large increase of tree
planting, although little has been done
in the way of planting forest trees for
timber, except in few of the coast
counties, +. Bulletin.