The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-13

Total ..-.---.- ns.TEsecee
The stand is heaviest in skagit county,
where it averages S.eep feet. board meas
ure. per acre. The next heaviest is in
Wahkiakum county. where the average
is q 900 feet to the acre. In Western
Washington the average stand il lS0aa
feet, and in Eastern Washington only
The entire area OF washington IS 6s $50
square miles. OF this q .l65 square miles
are covered with understandable timber,
or IS per cent. Of its area Only one-half
OF the wooded area OF the state IS re-
garded as containing merchantahle tim
Der under present numbering practice:
The area of the nineteen counties of
Western Washington Is 24ss square
miles. OF this area but little more than
one-third. or 9,0s9 square miles, is regard
cd "a containing merchantahle timber.
Besides this. an area OF Sos square miles
has already been logged; and much
greater area. s,sf4 square miles. OF mer-
charitable timber has been burned, be-
sides an area OF 200 square miles IN me
mountains not containing merchantsble
timber. In other words. out Of an area
OF l5.sss square miles formerly covered
with merchantable timber, % per cent.
or one-fifth has been cut: 22is per cent.
has been destroyed by IRE. and the re-
mainder. 571s per cent, In still covered
with standing timber. In this entire area
II re are only $50 square miles which are
Assuming that the logged area con-
tanned on an average the same amount Of
timber per acre as IL still standing in
other areas. IL appears that since ium-
bering begun In this region there has
been cut from IL 80 90 ooo.0oo feet. Max
ing the same assumption regarding the
burned area. It appears that there, has
benefit to the world, the enormous amount
OF 40 ,0oo, 600 feet OF lumber.
Distributson of Species.
Continuing Mr.. Gannett says: I'm
Eastern Washington. out OF an entire
area OF fi.sS square miles. only lf,l26
merchantable timber. or only one-third
OF the area. OF the area at one time
timbered 1885 square miles have been
burnt sor.r. The figures ,S present v strong
Washington, both In respect 10 cut and
burnt areas. The reason for this Is that
In the eastern part of the state the cut
ting Is done for local consumption only.
and never for export, and In these open,
sparse forests OF yellow pine. fires do
not run freely or cause much damage.
The distribution OF the different spec
les recognized as lumber in Washington
follows a few definite and simple laws
On the west shore OF Puget sound the
forest is practically pure. fir. Southwark
as far as the Columbia river, throughout
the valley of the eastern slope OF the
Cascade range. more than three-fourths
OF the forest In composed OF this species.
The proportion aiminishes as the Pacific
coast Is approached, and on the coast and
in an area or belt extending from ten
to twenty-five miles inland. there is
practically no red FIR TO be found. On
the east coast OF Puget sound and south
ward. between one-half and three-fourths
IL composed OF Ar. The proportion in
creases somewhat away from Puget
sound. but Mt an altitude Of 5000 feet
in the Cascade range the FIR disappears
'"rhe distribution of spruce Is equally
characteristics. There Is practically no
spruce on the Cascade range or on Its
eastern slope. II In more abundant inn
nediately upon the Pacific coast and
aiminishes thence inland.
"Of cedar there Ia scarcely any to be
found on the islands and the west coast
of Puget sound. and but very little in
the valley to the southwark. IL increases
westward towards the coast and reaches
a maximum Immediately upon the coast.
The east coast OF Puget sound contains
a large proportion OF cedar. ranging
from one-fourth to one-haif OF the for
~sts. ard that proportion diminishes ne
one ascends the Cascades.
''Hemlook In almost entirely wanting
on both ehores OF Puget sound and In
the valley 90 the south. 1t increases
westward and forms noticeable proper
ton Of the forests in the coast range
and in the northwestern part OF the
Olympic peninsula- IL increases also Rs
one ascenis the Cascades. its habitat ex-
tending nearly to timber line"