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Uses of Port Or ford Cedar 



Editor's Note 



Scientists liiive searched In vain fur aatisfactorv explanation oC some oi natures slrangs doings, one of wliicli 

 consists in lilding a valuable tree species in some obscure -ind restricted corner of tlio world where It attains ex- 

 tremely hlsli development but appears to be totally unable to extend its range in any direction beyond the limits 

 set by tUe inexplicable and inexorable lint: "Hitherto sbnit tbou come but no further." There seems to be noth- 

 ing in the geography, geology, situation or climate constituting a barrier against the spread of the species Into 

 new areas, yet it never crosses the line set for it by some mysterious agencj'. Such a tree is the Port Orford cedar 

 of the Northwest I'acillc coast. It occupies its grou'nd so vlgbrouslv that it excludes most other trees, yet it has 

 remained in the same place as far back as there is any botanical record. Huron H. Smith, dendrologist of the Field 

 Museum of Natural History, recently made a study of this interesting tree in its native home. The following article 

 from his pen, written for Haudwood Uecord, deal's chiefly with the commercial side of this species. 



Little has been written in timber journals concerning Port Orford 

 cedar (Chamaccyparis lawsoniana) , because the tree has such a lim- 

 ited range as to be endemic. Not a stick of it is found north of 

 Coos bay, southern Oregon, not even on the north shores of that bay. 

 W'hile it ranges as far south as the mouth of the Klamath river in 

 northern California, it is scattering there, and is abundantly found 

 only north of the Rogue river and on the Oregon coast, forming 

 between there and the mouth of the Coquille river a nearly continu- 

 ous forest belt, twenty miles long. 



The wood of this fastidious 

 tree deserves much attention 

 from manufacturers desiring 

 special qualities. Sargent says 

 of the wood that it is light, hard, 

 strong, and very close-grained, 

 abounding in fragrant resin, 

 very durable in contact with the 

 soil, easily worked, and capable 

 of taking a good polish. It is as 

 light as basswood or box elder; 

 harder than western spruce; 

 stronger by a ninth than white 

 oak. It is closer grained than 

 red cedar. 



The fragrant resin which the 

 wood contains is far superior to 

 that of any other wood of North 

 America, its nearest kin in odor, 

 and indeed in family, being the 

 Alaska cj^iress (Chamaeoyparis 

 nootJcatcnsis) which grows in the 

 coastal region northward. Its 

 delicious odor, however, when the 

 wood is cut iu the mill, is so 

 strong that the mill cannot con- 

 tinue to cut it for longer than 

 five days at a time. It ' has a 

 strong and injurious effect on 

 the kidneys of some of the work- 

 men, soon incapacitating them 

 for labor. 



The wood takes an excellent 

 polish. It is very durable both 

 in the water and in the soil. In 

 the Oregon forest a spruce tree 

 seven and a half feet in diameter , 



was found growing on the fallen stem of a smaller Port Orford 

 cedar, the roots extending like the claws of a parrot around each 

 side of the log, and locking together underneath. The spruce was 

 at least 400 years old, and the cedar is today as sound as any of 

 the green trees that stood by it. The peculiar specimen was put on 

 exhibition in the forestry building of the Lewis and Clark Exposi- 

 tion at Portland, where it may be seen today. 



The aromatic oil seems to preserve this wood from decay. This 

 oil makes it burn very readily, too. The writer, in stopping for din- 

 ner out in the country at Coos bay, actually saw the housewife go 

 to the spring for her kindling, take a chunk from under its weight, 

 wipe it off with her apron, and touch a match to a splinter that 

 flamed like a torch. 



—30— 



Vessels built of this wood on Coos bay over forty years ago are 

 still as sound as when launched, and are doing excellent service up 

 and down the Pacific coast. The wood is much sought after for 

 construction of speed motor boats. In fact the Smith mill at Marsh- 

 field, Ore., is now cutting the timber from this species for Sir 

 Thomas Lipton 's next cup challenger. He always has them built 

 of this wood. 



The odor of the wood is an absolute safeguard against moths and 



insects when it is used for closets, presses, and wardrobes. The odor 



of clothes kept in them is more 



agreeable and delicate even than 

 that of camphor wood. The only 

 other timber in the world that 

 has a similar character is the hi- 

 no-ki {Chamaeoyparis obtusa), 

 found extensively in Formosa 

 and Japan. It is the sacred tree 

 of Japan, and all Shinto temples 

 in that country are built entirely 

 of it. Most of the lacquer work 

 of the higher type is done on 

 this wood. 



Port Orford cedar is cut for 

 commercial purposes by only 

 three or four mills: C. A. Smith 

 of Marshfield, Ore., who cuts it 

 in a special mill; the Randolph 

 Milling Company, near Bandon, 

 Ore.; and the Coquille Milling 

 Company, on the Coquille river 

 in that state. It is worth about 

 eighty dollars a thousand now 

 for carpenter stock, and should 

 not be used for engineering pur- 

 poses, as it is too rare, and other 

 woods will answer as well for 

 that purpose. 



Ranchers and small operators 

 cut a good deal of this choice 

 wood into four-foot bolts, for 

 which they receive about $28 a 

 thousand feet, though paid by 

 ' J the cord, and ship it to block 



■" I match factories. About the only 



important factory left manufac- 



^ ! : - \ M \ i: 111 i\ii: '. , , / , 



turing these block matches is 



that of Zan Brothers in Portland. The Alaska or block match, 

 called ' ' stinkers ' ' by the loggers, is probably more used on the 

 Pacific coast and in Alaska than any other type of match. It has 

 been in use many years, and in some regions to the practical exclu- 

 sion of all others. 



They are sulphur matches, and will not easily blow out in the 

 wind ; and if dropped into the river they can be subsequently 

 dried out with no impairment of their igniting quality. 



As the blocks come to the match factory they are cut up into 

 slices the thickness of the match length. One end is cut very 

 smooth, as it is steamed and cut with a razor-like microtone knife. 

 The other end is crumpled and crushed, the fibers being matted 

 together to keep the matches in a block. Then the blocks are put 



