The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-05-26
DENsEsT FOREST ON EARTH.
There II Redwood Enough TO Last 400
Years at the Present Rate
of Cutting.


culiar. 1t is found only in a narrow
strip, closely hugging the Pacific coast,
stretching from the southern boundary
| of Oregon or just across the boundary
for there are perhaps 1000 acres of red
wood in Oregon-southward through
northern California, nearly to the bay
of San Francisco.
The closest and finest growth is in
Humboldt county, near the north
ern end. That portion in Mem
docino and Sonoma counties is not
as heavy or continuous, nor are the
trees as valuable for lumber, as they
branch lower down. The wood is, hows
ever, of slower growth, is denser and
harder, and perhaps more durable. The
best lumber and the heaviest growth
are everywhere in the valleys and on
the flats. On the hillsides the trees are
smaller and not SO close. Nowhere Is
there any young growth. The young.
est trees, which are found only In the
northern portion Of the belt, are several
hundred years of age.
This is probably the densest forest on
earth, as measured by the amount OF
timber per acre suitable for the saw
mill. 1t is not the size Of the trees alone
which produces this, although they are
exceptionally large, even in this state Of
large things, but it is the great number
of trees, the closeness of their stand. In
a redwood forest the sun never shines
1t is always twilight. You are, as it
were, under the roof of vast temple, a
roof of foliage, supported by great tree
columns.
: The area of the redwood belt has been
carefully mapped, and is, as nearly as
can be estimated, 1000 square miles, or
1880, 900 acres. The stand of timber on
this area Is not so easy to ascertain, but
may be computed thus:
Del Norte ounty................. 1900, 900, 900
HUMBOLDT county, ty,.............. AZ, ,000 900, 900
Menuoclno county. .'''..........26, 100 700, 600
Sonoma county, say.............. 1000 900, 900
Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. rs, ,16O, 900
The annual cut by the mills is $780,
100000 feet. At the present rate Of cut
ting, therefore, the supply will last 300
years. In Mendocino county there Is
nearly nine times as much timber on an
acre as in the southern pineries; In
Humboldt county upon 96,44S acres the
average stand is $4,000 feet per acre,
nearly II times as great as in the south
,erp states.
There is one cause of destruction
from which this tree is entirely exempt
that is, fire. Containing no pitch, but,
on the other hand, large amount Of
water, it will not burn when green. No
fire can run in a redwood forest. 1t is
the only one of our coniferous lumber
trees which is thus exempt.
Redwood is in almost universal use
on the California coast. In the con-
struction of houses little other timber
is used, even as far south as Los Angeles
and San Diego. 1t is exported as far
south as Valparaiso, Chilli, and west
ward to japan and Australia. Indeed,
considering it's cheapness, $14 per .hou-
sand feet In Eureka for the best, 1t
seems strange that it has not found its
way in quantity to the Atlantic coast.
Certain it is that before many years
redwood will supplant the now vanish
ing white pine in eastern markets.
National Geographical Magazine.