The independent., 1903-04-30

second growth, rather than with ma
ture trees; with timbered areas rather
than with the virgin forest. Where
attention was given the old forests
and methods of numbering, it was only
that better knowledge might be
gained of second growth and how to
deal with it.
The bureaus is the first systematic
study of the redwood ever undertake
en- by a forester, and it has made
clear several points about the life and
habits of the tree that are little
known.
The redwood of California belong;
to a genus of which the Big Tree is
the only other species now alive
Both are allied to the cypress, and
their lumber is often called by the
same name, but they are botanically
distinct from each other. They do not
even occupy the same situations The
Big Tree occurs in scattered bodies on
the west slopes of the Sierra Nevada,
while the redwood forms dense for
ests On the lest slopes of the Coast
Range. The redwood is popularly
thought to occupy strip of country
10 to 80 miles wide, from the Oregon
line to the Bay of Monterrey; but
these boundaries do not cover it's act
ual distribution. Two thousand acres
of redwood, in two separate groups,
are growing in Oregon along the
Chetco river. South of the Chetco a
continuous redwood belt begins. BY
way of the river valleys and lowlands
it increases it's width from 10 miles
at Del Norte county to Is or 20 miles
and keeps on unbroken to southern
Humboldt county. Here, for about a
township, it thins out, but becomes
dense again miles north of the Men
docino line, and after entering that
country widens to IS miles, it's great
est width. The redwood belt ends in
Mendocino county, but isolated for
ests of the species are growing in
Creek canyon in the Santa Lucia
Monterey county, IL miles
south of Punta Gordo and 500 miles
from the northern limit of the tree
along the Chetco river.
The redwood grows to a greater
height than any other American tree,
but in girth and in age it is exceeded
by the Big Tree of the Sierras. On
the slopes 225 feet is about it's maxi
mum height and 10 feet it's greatest
while on the fats, under
better conditions, it grows to be $50
sheltered spots as far south as Salmon
feet high with diameter of 20 feet.
Most of the redwood cut is from 400
to 800 years old. After the tree has
passed the age of 500 years it usually
begins to die down from the tor and
to fall off in growth. The oldest red
wood found during the bureaus III
vestigation hal begun life 1878 years
ago.
The bark of the tree offers such a
remarkable resistance to fire that ex-
,ept under great heat it is not COM
Dustible. 1t is of reddish-gray col
)r, fibrous in texture and gives to full
crown redwoods fluted appearance.
Moisture available for the roots is the
1rst need of the redwood, as any hill
y tract of forest will show. Wher-
ever a small gully, or bench, or basin
s so placed as to receive an uncom-
non amount of seepage, or wherever
| creek flows by, there the trees are
'ure to be largest. While moisture of
he soil affects the development of the
moisture of the atmosphere
regulates it's distribution. The limits
II the sea fogs are just about the linn
is of the tree. The fogs, unless scat
cred by winds, flow inland among
he mountains. Western exposures
eCeive most of the mist they carry,
xcept those higher ridges above their
each, which support, in consequence,
'nly a scattering growth of redwood
The wood OF the redwood varies |
,reatly. The softest and best trees
Usually grow in the bottoms, the |
finty'' timber occurs on the slopes. |
But this rule does not always hold |
ood. All sorts of unexpected and un-
ccountable differences in the quail
ty of the timber occur , A soft fin4-
rained tree will be found close be-
ide one "flinty" and less valuable.
wen the practical logger is never
ure until he cuts it what kind oe
lmber a redwood will yield. The
ree's vitality is so great, it endures
o MANY vic;ssitudes and suffers from
o many accidents in the centuries of
IS existence, that the grain of it's
,oOd becomes uneven in proportion