De I. VNER VEW D Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope

146
FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
lines on opposite sides of the twigs, while on the main stem of these branches
they vary in length down to short scale-like forms and occur in several lines,
sometimes closely pressed to the branch. A conspicuous feature of these leaves
is their habit of clinging to the branches for one or two years after they are
dead, when they are pale dull brown. These leaves occur irregularly on
branches, though they are most common on the top branches of mature trees,
particularly in exposed sites. The foliage is a bright, deep yellow-green; that
of each season's growth remains on the tree about three or four years. Cones
(fig. 57), which mature in one year, are ripe early in September. They open
and shed their seed slowly, and remain on the trees several months afterwards.
The seeds (fig. 57, b), about 4 or 5 of which are borne under each cone scale,
are pale russet-brown. Seed leaves, usually 5; very slender, pointed, and about
seven-eighths of an inch long. Seedlings produce similar scattered spreading
leaves for several years before assuming the adult foliage. Wood (about the
weight of white pine), several pounds heavier per cubic foot than that of the
bigtree. It is very soft, moderately fine-grained, but variable from fine to
coarse, exceedingly brittle, and a purplish, clear red-brown in color. It is of
the first commercial importance on account of its great durability without protection,
the ease with which it is worked, and the large sizes of clear lumber
obtainable.
LONGEVITY.-Very long-lived, but greatest age undetermined. On account of
the extensive lumbering in the past, followed by fire, age records of very large
trees have not been obtained. Probably not as long-lived as the bigtree. A tree
20 feet in diameter and 350 feet high showed an age of 1,000 years. Another
tree 21 feet in diameter was 1,373 a years old.
RANGE.
From southwestern corner of Oregon southward, from 10 to 30 miles inland, througl
California coast region to Salmon Creek Canyon (12 miles south of Punta Gorda) in
Monterey County. Generally from near sea-level to about 2,500 feet elevation, and
mainly on seaward side of coast mountains within the fog belt.
OrEGoN.-Three groves in southern Curry County; two, aggregating 2,000 acres, on
northwestern side of Chetco River, 6 and 12 miles from its mouth, a third grove, farther
south, on Winchuck River only a few miles from sea and very near California line.
CALIFORNIA.-Northmost large forest is on Smith River (Del Norte County) and its
tributary Rowdy Creek, from which a nearly unbroken belt extends southward. Klamath
National Forest only on Goose Creek (T. 14 N., R. 2 E.). At north end of Del Norte
County belt is only 5 to 6 miles wide, between which and the sea there is a belt 3 miles
wide, mainly of Sitka spruce and Douglas fir. But south of Crescent City, redwood
comes within a mile of coast and the belt widens to 6 or 7 miles, continuing thus to
Klamath River Valley, up which it goes for 20 miles; immediately south of this valley
the belt becomes 10 to 12 miles wide and so continues until reaching Humboldt Bay,
where it narrows to a width of about 7 miles, extending east to 3 miles east of Korbel.
and recedes from the coast 2 or 3 miles. Southward from Humboldt Bay it continues
receding from coast, until, at Eel River. the belt, here about 15 miles wide, is 15 miles
or more from the sea. In southern Humboldt County (T. 3 S., R. 3 E., Humboldt meridian)
the belt ends in a tapering point about 7 miles southwest of Eel River. For
about 15 miles redwood is absent, but at north boundary of Mendocino County the belt
begins again, close to sea, and continues about 8 miles wide to a point opposite Westport,
where it extends eastward 10 miles from that town, and at a point 15 miles north of
Mendocino widens to about 20 miles, reaching inland to Deep Creek (opposite Willits) on
east slope of coast mountains. It continues thus, with gaps on the divide, until Sonoma
County is reached, here contracting to 10 or 12 miles in width, on Russian River extending
east to Forestville, and, much broken, finally ceases about opposite Santa Rosa.
Through Marin County redwood appears only in groves and in ravines, but extends
eastward to Napa Valley and over Howell Mountain (toward Pope Valley), here reaching
its most eastern limit, mare than 30 miles from the sea. In Mount Diablo range, only on
' See Forest Service Bull. 38, p. 12.