The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-11-29
Description Of Our Woods.

.
exhibit at the Portland Exposition
has prepared descriptive report OF
the woods of the Pacific coast. Th,
report is most complete and Show
careful research on the part of Mr.
johnson.
| The most prominent woods are de
scribed as follows:
| Yellow or Douglas Fir (Psuedotsugs
Titifolia)-This is the king of all tim
ber trees. The lumber of this tree has
no equal for strength, length, light
ness, durability and absence of knots
This is the most valuable lumber tree
on this continent, and the most i'm.
portant to commerce all over the
world. 1t is especially valuable for
shipbuilding, masts, spars, bridges and
all structural work. 1t is the prevail
ing timber of the west coast.
Silver or Lovely Fir (Abies Amabilis)
"A wonderously beautiful tree of the
largest size ~ has silver green foliag.
and large upright cones. The wood
is soft and white and is valuable for
many purposes
Noble Fir (Abies Nobilis)-This is
called larch by the lumbermen. 1t is
indeed noble tree, the most beauti-
full of all the Fir family. This tree is
as straight as an arrow, with smooth.
light-colored bark and foliage of silver
blue, with large, upright cones. 1t is
abundant on all high elevations. The
wood is soft and white and valuable
for lumber. AS an ornamental tree it
has no equal.
White Fir (Abies Grandes)-A tall
tree found along oil the streams, but
not used for lumber at the present
time.
Mountain White Fir or Balsam Fir
(Abies Loweana)-Wood hard and
tough, but not durable.
Alpine Fir (Abies Lasiocarpa)-A
rare and beautiful Fir, found around
Mt. Hood.
Magnificent Fir Gables Magnifca)-
Resembles the noble Fir, but the cones
are the largest of the genus. It's
habitat is the Siskiyou mountains.
Tideland spruce (Picea Sitchenses)
This is one of the largest trees in the
Pacific Northwest and is often found
16 feet in diameter and $50 feet high.
1t is very valuable for lumber, and for
box lumber it has no equal. 1t is
abundant all along the coast.
Weeping spruce (Picea Breweriana)
"A rare and beautiful spruce recent
-ly discovered in the Siskiyou noun
tains. 1t has long, weeping branches,
and is one of the finest trees known.
Mountain Spruce (Picea Engle-
manii)-A tall spruce, growing on
high elevations. The wood is hard
and tough.
White spruce (Picea Mariana)-This
tree is found in the Blue mountains,
and is valuable for lumber in that
part of the country. The wood is
white and strong.
Port Oxford cedar (Chamoecyparis
Lawsoniana)-This is the highest
priced cedar on the Pacific coast. The
wood is cream-white, with a satin
polish and has spicy fragrance. 1t
is strong and very fine grained. For
landscape gardening it is the finest
cedar in the world and it will grow in
almost any climate.
Red cedar (Thuya Gigantea)-This
is the largest cedar known, and is
sometimes found % feet in diameter
and 200 feet high. 1t is the most
durable wood known. 1t is easily
worked and is valuable as finishing
lumber. 1t is highly priced for shing-
les. 1t is abundant all along the coast.
Incense cedar (Libocidrus Occur
rence)-Abundant in in Southern Ore
gon. Valuable for lumber and very
durable.
Alaska cedar (Chamoecyparis Nut
kaensis)- This cedar is found near
Mount Hood. The wood is creamy
yellow, fne-grained and takes fine
polish. 1t has delightful fragrance
and is lovely ornamental tree OF
dropping habit.
Great sugar pine (Pinus Lamber-
tiana)-This is the king of all pines.
II is the most beautiful pine known,
whether in youth or old age. The
immense size of its cones, sometimes
1S inches long. renders it of great orn-
amental beauty. The sugar pine is
the most valuable pine lumber on the
Pacific coast. The wood is white,
very soft and easily worked and does
not crack or warp.
Western hemlock (Tsuga Merten-
siana)-This tree makes fine lnmber.
The bark is the principal material,
used for tanning. Many analyses ap-
pear to have established the fact that
the hemlock of the Pacific coast is
richer in tannin than the hemlock