136 Kansas Academy of Science. 



wide expanse of green, the waters of the Pacific reflect the blazing 

 rays of the setting sun. On every side everything is bathed in the 

 most delicate tints and lies death-like in the evening haze, which 

 seems to magnify them rather than subdue them. 



VEGETATION. 



The vegetation of the region is truly remarkable. Below 5000 

 feet is the great northwestern forest, which must be seen to be ap- 

 preciated. Douglas fir, tide-land spruce and red cedar reach gi- 

 gantic proportions. The available timber per township a'^erages 

 from 3000 feet (B M.) amid the high mountains up to 59,000 feet 

 ( B. M.) in the Quillayute region ( Dodwell and Rixon). Below 

 2000 feet the region is a jungle. Taken as a whole it is the most 

 heavily forested region in the country. There are estimated to be 

 seventy billion feet ( B. M.), in round numbers, or enough timber to 

 supply the entire demand of the United States for two years. 



The timber by species is as follows : Red fir, 24 per cent.; cedar, 

 10 per cent.; hemlock, 42 per cent.; spruce, 6 per cent.; Lovely fir, 

 18 per cent. 



The principal trees and plants of the region are red elder, salal, 

 Shallon, Ruhes, Rihes, Vaccinum, Selaginella (*S'. oregana), 

 bearded lichens, uanea, crab-apple, bearberry, dogwood ( Cornus 

 nuttallii). 



Red fir {Pseudotsuga taxifolia) : The principal forest-tree of 

 the region west of the Olympics, it reaches its greatest develop- 

 ment in the Quillayute country. It is seldom seen at elevations 

 exceeding 3000 feet or near the seashore. 



Lovely fir {Abies amahdis): A tall, silvery-barked tree found 

 on the mountain slopes above 1500 feet. 



Subalpine fir [Abies lasiooarp'i) : A tree found only near tim- 

 ber-line. 



Red cedar ( 2 hnja plicata) : A tree growing in low and swampy 

 lands. It is one of the principal forest- trees of the coast region. 



Alaska cedar ( Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) : Found only on the 

 mountain ridges. 



Sitka spruce {Picea sitchensis) : Found only in the vicinity of 

 the Pacific coast. 



Mertens hemlock {Tsvga mertensiana) : A component of the 

 forest everywhere up to timber-line. 



Vine maple {Acer eircinatum): A very common vine-like tree 

 at altitudes below 2200 feet. 



Maple {Acer macrophyllnm): Found only on the bottom-lands. 

 It makes a pretty shade-tree, and is used in making furniture. 



