190 Forestry Quarterly. 



cay. One of these appears to enter the tree from the ground 

 and starts decay in the center of the trunk and works radially to 

 within a few inches of the bark and upward, generally destroy- 

 ing the first short log. As a rule this defect is found in large old 

 swell-buttressed trees growing on low bottom land situations 

 where there is a fairly deep loamy soil, approximately 25 per cent, 

 of old trees in such locations being rotten in the butt. The other 

 rot found in spruce occurs in the upper part of the trunk, gener- 

 ally beginning in the heart center and works radially and in a 

 longitudinal direction, either destroying one-half or the whole of 

 the section in which it works. This rot is most frequent in large 

 overmature trees ; however many healthy, sound appearing trees 

 are affected, it being difficult to determine its presence except 

 where conks of large longitudinal seams appear. 



Ring shake occurs frequently in spruce, although not in suf- 

 ficient quantity to be serious since it is found chiefly in large 

 overmature unsound trees and those growing in exposed condi- 

 tions. 



Sitka spruce easily ranks first in the lumber industry, as con- 

 struction lumber, it being practically the only species cut. It 

 makes very good lumber for house siding, sheeting, dimension 

 stuff or for any similar use wherein great strength is not re- 

 quired, since it kilndries fairly easily, checks but little and holds 

 paint well. The chief objection to this wood is its decided tend- 

 ency to shrink in a lateral direction as well as longitudinally, and, 

 unless very thoroughly dried, it is not satisfactory where tight 

 joints are desired. Aside from this, it shrinks and swells readily 

 with changing conditions of moisture, therefore it is very es- 

 sential in work requiring close fitting joints to have it used only 

 where it will be kept either continuously wet or dry. 



Spruce is not well adapted to use for heavy timbers wherein 

 great breaking strength is required or for flooring or street 

 planking where it is subject to rough wear- Douglas Fir or 

 Western Hemlock is used principally for such purposes except 

 where cheap material is desired and no lasting qualities are 

 necessary. 



Spruce contains many knots, especially in open grown trees, 

 however they are generally sound and do not seriously injure 

 the quality for most uses to which it is put. 



Where a large per cent, of clear can be secured, this species 



