196 Forestry Quarterly. 



present. It is known to be, however, a good pulp wood, owing 

 to the relative small quantity of timber of this species in the 

 coastal forests only limited quantities of it will be used for 

 pulp. Its chief future uses along the coast will be piling, build- 

 ing material and fuel. 



Red Cedar. This species is found chiefly in the southern part 

 of the Tongass Forest where it occurs in scattering quantities 

 through the forest and makes up only a small percentage of 

 the stand. Trees of this species grow very slowly and reach an 

 old age without size. The trunks of old trees are generally very 

 irregular in shape, have considerable taper and contain a large 

 percentage of defective material. The wood is light, soft, not 

 strong, brittle, has a coarse even grain but is durable. Practi- 

 cally all of this species cut in Alaska is used locally for shingles, 

 building material, cabinet work, boat building and poles. 



Only a very small quantity of red cedar is sawn by the local 

 mills on account of the difficulty found in getting logs that will 

 work up without a large percentage of waste. Old trees are 

 generally very irregular in shape and contain so much defect 

 that it is decidedly a loss to the ordinary millman to undertake 

 to manufacture lumber from the general run of logs. Red 

 cedar is very good for cheap Ulterior finish, cabinet work, sheet- 

 ing and house siding, since it is soft, works easily, takes a good 

 finish, and holds paint well. 



At the present time Western Red Cedar is considered the 

 most valuable shingle wood in the United States. The quantity 

 of this species in the forests of Alaska, however, is too small for 

 it to ever become of commercial importance as a source of supply 

 for shingle wood. There are at the present time three small 

 shingle mills on the Tongass Forest, that operate for about nine 

 months each year and produce approximately four and one-half 

 million shingles, all of which are used locally. There is, un- 

 doubtedly, a sufficient quantity of mature and overmature tim- 

 ber, which is hardly fit for any other use except shingles, in the 

 local forests to supply the local market with shingles for many 

 years in the future, besides furnishing small amounts for out- 

 side shipment. 



Owing to its durability when placed in contact with water, Red 

 Cedar is valuable for planking small launches and building row 

 boats and skiffs, the light weight being an important factor 



