324 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. ix» 



from 200 to over 300 feet, forming prodigious and dark forests. 

 The wood varies considerably in appearance and strength accord- 

 ing to its locality of growth and other circumstances. It is 

 admirably adapted for all ordinary purposes of construction, and 

 of late has obtained favourable notice in ship-building, remaining 

 sound in water for a long time. For spars and masts it is un- 

 surpassed both as to strength, straightness and length. Masts for 

 export are usually hewn to octagonal shape from 20 to 32 inches 

 in diameter and 60 to 120 feet in length. On special orders they 

 have been shipped as large as 42 inches in diameter by 120 feet 

 long. Yards are generally hewn out from 12 to 24 inches in 

 diameter and 50 to 102 feet long. 



Masts and spars are generally sent to Great Britain ; other 

 forms of lumber to South America, Australia, India, China and 

 the Sandwich Islands. 



Tsuga Mertensiana, Lindl. Western hemlock. The hem- 

 lock occurs everywhere in the vicinity of the coast, and extends 

 up the Fraser and other rivers to the boundary of the region of 

 abundant rainfall. It reappears in the Selkirk and Gold Ranges, 

 where sufficient moisture fpr its growth is again found. The 

 tree attains a large size on the coast, reaching a height of 

 200 feet, and yields a good wood, but has not yet been much 

 used. The bark is employed successfully in tanning. Tsuga 

 Mertensiana closely resembles the eastern hemlock (^T. Canaden- 

 sis) but attains a larger size than that tree ever does. 



In the Queen Charlotte Islands it is particularly abundant 

 and large. On the Salmon River, running into Dean Inlet, it is 

 not found in abundance beyond eighteen miles from the sea at 

 an elevation of 600 feet. It occurs again, however, sparingly on 

 the lower part of the Iltasyouco River, a tributary to the last, 

 and within the Coast Range. On the Homathco River, flowing 

 into Bute Inlet, it ceases at fifty-three miles from the sea at an 

 elevation of 2320 feet. On the Uz-tli-hoos it extends to a point 

 six or ten miles east of the Fraser, on the Coquihalla to the 

 summit between that river and the Coldwater. 



Thuja gigaiifea, Nutt. Western arbor vitae, giant cedar, red 

 cedar. This tree in its distribution nearly follows that of the 

 hemlock, abounding along the coast and lower parts of the rivers 

 of the Coast Range, being unknown in the dry central plateau, but 

 reappearing abundantly on the slopes of the Selkirk and Gold 



