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

FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
ern red cedar, Sitka spruce, grand fir, western hemlock, and Douglas fir. With same
species, but less abundant, in northwest California (swampy places near sea) and sometimes
with redwood and California laurel. Near coast, often gives way to Sitka spruce
and grand fir, growing on higher sites with Douglas fir and western hemlock. Occasionally
in sugar and western yellow pine forests on rather dry, sunny slopes.
CLIMATIC CONDITIONs.-Climate characterized by moderate temperatures, heavy precipitation
with slight snowfall, high humidity, and many cloudy days. Temperature on
coast between 10' and 95° F., and precipitation between 30 and 100 inches, with an average
of about 56 inches; higher altitudes have greater seasonal and daily ranges of temperature
and proportionately larger snowfall. However, the generally low range keeps
this tree within modifying influence of the sea. Successfully cultivated in Europe and in
northeastern United States under more severe climatic conditions than those of its native
range. But it is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity, and suffers
from prolonged drought, especially after rapid growth. Frost hardy except in early
youth, and resists late frosts better than early ones, because it starte to grow late In
spring.
ToLESANcE.-Moderately tolerant of shade throughout life, but especially tolerant of
heavy shade in early stages; thrives also in open, provided the humidity of air is constant.
Responds readily to side shading, so that forest-grown trees produce straight
stems of considerable clear length.
RFPRoDucTIoN.-Very prolific annual seeder, beginning when about 12 years old and
continuing to an advanced age. Seed generally has a fairly high rate of germination,
but often a low one; vitality transient. Germinates abundantly in shaded moderately
open places, and considerably, also, in logged and burned-over areas.
JUNIPERUS. JUNIPERS.
The junipers, some of which must, unfortunately, be called "cedars," are
evergreen trees, either with branchlets closely covered by short, minute, scalelike,
sharp-pointed leaves, arranged in opposite pairs, alternating around the
stem (sometimes 3 in place of a pair), or with branchlets bearing much longer,
needle-like leaves which bristle, or, at least, stand out loosely in groups of 3 at
regular intervals.
Close, scale-like leaves are very often marked with a pit on the back (figs. 68
to 74.) When crushed the foliage emits a pungently aromatic odor. Junipers
are further characterized by their fine-grained, aromatic, durable wood, which
is dull yellow brown in some species and a clear rose-purple red in others. The
bark is rather soft and distinctly stringy-one species only having brittle, checkered,
hard bark.
The fruits of junipers, popularly called "berries," clearly distinguish them
from the cypresses, which in the general appearance of their foliage they resemble.
The flowers are minute and inconspicuous. Male flowers (pollen bearing
only) and female (developing into fruit) are borne on different trees, sometimes,
but rarely, both sexes occurring on the same tree. TIre "berries" are
morphologically cones; the fleshy or berry-like covering made up of fleshy flower
scales (similar at first to those of conifers, which develop into woody cones)
which unite in growth so as to envelop the hard seeds (I to 12 in number; 1 to 4
in Pacific junipers). Points of the united flower scales, or tip of the ovules,
can usually be seen more or less prominently on the surface of the mature fruit
(figs. 68 to 74). The berries ripen in one or in two seasons. Ripe berries are
dark blue, red brown, or copper-colored, the surface covered (one Texan juniper
excepted) with a whitish bloom, which may be rubbed off easily, showing the
ground color. The pulpy flesh of the berries is juicy or mealy, sweetish, and
strongly aromatic (due to the presence of resin cells). Birds eat the fruit of
junipers, but the hard, bony seeds are entirely unaffected by digestion, which,
indeed, is believed to facilitate in some degree their germination. Both birds
and mammals play a most important part in the dissemination of these seeds.
Without their aid dissemination would be exceedingly slow on level ground,
where the heavy berries lie as they fall beneath the mother tree. On slopes,