kKviKws 579 



the present force and equipment. An increase in funds for this work 

 is urgently called for. 



Much assistance has also been given on a variety of war problems 

 relating to forest resources and the manufacture, purchase, and most 

 efficient use of forest products. 



B. E. F. 



Incense Cedar. By J. Alfred Mitchell, Forest Examiner. Bulletin 

 No. 604, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, 

 D. C. 1918. Pp. 40. 



In this somewhat general discussion of our only species of the genus 

 Libocedrus, viz., L. decurrens, the author has brought together many 

 facts of value to those who desire to know more about this western tree. 



A distribution map shows that the species is almost entirely confined 

 to California, with an estimated stand of 10 billion feet board measure, 

 and to Oregon, with less than one billion, the greatest masses of this 

 timber being confined to the Shasta and Klamath River region, although 

 higher yields per acre occur in the southern Sierras. 



The commercial importance is shown by annual production tables 

 giving the lumber cut of the species from 1899 to 1916. This cut varies 

 from 2,424,000 board feet in 1902 to 22,056,000 board feet in 1913. 

 The species, however, furnishes less than one per cent of the lumber 

 cut of California, and the mill-run price is only about $12, only 17 per 

 cent of the cut being clears. 



The general uses are for lumber, 68.6 per cent; ties. 10.6; pencil 

 slates, 9.2 ; posts. 7.6 per cent, while small amounts are used for poles, 

 cordwood, shingles, and shakes. It is also used in a small way for pat- 

 tern stock, moldings, and raisin trays. The value of the stand remain- 

 ing on the National Forests at a stumpage value of 80 cents per thou- 

 sand is estimated at approximately $9,000,000. 



The wood is shown to be soft, light, and weak, having only about 

 two-thirds the strength of longlcaf pine. The older trees are shown to 

 be subject to attacks of fungi, but the species lasts w-ell in the ground 

 (from 20 to 30 years for posts) and is remarkably free from insect 

 enemies. 



The tree is not very large, attaining a height of from 75 to no feet 

 (maximum recorded height, 186 feet) and a diameter, breast high, of 

 from 30 to 40 inches (maximum recorded diameter, 96 inches, breast 

 high, with a yield of 9,700 board feet). This sjjccies is shown to be 



