Douglas Island news., 1919-09-12
MAY LEAD WORLD
 IN WOOD PULP
Former Forest Supervisor for Alaska Sees Great Future for Alaskan
 Forests

N.'N" n" N.LH "NH HH|N HN.'HN WN NNN| HNNW" |qualmie National Forest. contributes Jon article for Che Seattle Times. The article was printed u that papers 1 fAnti-Bolshevlh Edition and Trade . Expansion Number of August 31. The article follows
 Most people throughout Ono states ! think Of Alaska only ln terms of iccborgs and polar bears and they look up with surprise when told of its splendid summer climate and lux- urious vegetation which Includes vast aroas Of continuous forc1t
 The forcsu Of Alaska come. under two classcs. Che forests Of Che wet and Che forests Of Che dry regions. with am annual precipitation of from Ioighty to 200 inches in Che wet and ten to twenty Inches in Che dry ro- gions
 The forests of Che wet region cover numerous large and small isl- anda and a narrow coaatol belt on Che mainland extending from the southern boundary Of Alaska north io Kodiak. This coastal belt is very narrow and Che total area of the forests of tho wet belt although cov- cring about 2O.OOO.OOO acres. is very small in comparison Co Che forested area Of Che dry region.
 The timber species of tho wet belt arc very similar Co those of Che Pu- get Sound region. consisting Of sltka spruce. Western hcmlock. black hem- lock. rcd cedar yellow cypress (yel- low codar) with a small amount of lodgopolo pine. VOW amabus Ar and cottonwood In Che dry region the species consist of white spruce. black spruce. aspen. white birch. cotton wood, lodgepolo pine and larch.
 Much of tho area comprising Che great valley Of Che Yukon. Panama. Kuskokwim. Susitna and Copper riv- CTS. witch their tributaries. either are now or have been umborcd: Che slopes with pure stands or a heavy mixture Of birch and aspen. while thc bottoms of thc valleys along Che starcams contain Che best stands of spruce.
 Tho birch on Che slopes seldom at- iaIns a diameter Of moro than from six Co twelve inches and height of from sixty co forty feet while Che best spruce. which is Che saw timber of the Yukon. Panama. Kuskokwlm. susitna and Copper river valleys seldom exceeds twenty Inches i'm diameter and soyenty-dyo feet i'm height Tho white birch and white spruce have contributed most of the saw timber and fuel used in Che great gold regions Of Che Yukon and Panama rivers
 Although millions Of acres Of this small timber which extends in many places far north Of Che Arctic circle have been burned. there is yet many millions Of acres In good condition waiting Go serve as am aid to vari- ous kinds of local development. Much Of thc small timber that has boon logged throughout Che Yukon Valley and other places in the dry region has been transported to streams or place Of use by means Of dog teams
 The best timber in Che coastal re- zion or wet bolt is found ln tho rougam National Forest. which comprises practically all Of South eastern Alaska. lt Is estimated that this region contains 10000. .0O0 900 board feet Of morchantablc timber. the several species occurring approx imatoly as follows.
 Homlock. G5 per cent; sitka spruce. 90 per ccnt- rcd cedar. per cent cypress. per cent; yellow cypress. per cent; other species. per cent
 Even though the quantity Of tim- ber in Alaska is quite large on ac- count Of it being badly scattered. sol- dom occurring in bodies sufficiently large to iustfy the necessary im- provomcnts to get it out. tho qual- ! icy not being equal in every respect to tho finest belt Of timber In the world along Che coast farther south with which it must compete. it is not considered that Alaska win ever contribute any large quantities Of saw timber to the general market
 Tho timber In Alaska is much more suitable for pulp and paper chan it is for saw timber. Consequently. on account Of Che unlimited amount of l cheap wood and immense quantities or choaply Installed water power with deep water transportation to
 Che doors Of tho world Southeast ] Alaska in the comparatively near fu-
 turo. must become one or the great paper centers Of the world. ! Homlock stands 6rst in quantity. but is very inferior in quality on Q Che lowiands. where logging is be- . ing chiefly conducted at Che present . time. Consequently. very little hem lock is being logged as saw timber. , There are. however on the slopes r largo quantities of homlock of ex-