Hardwood Planting, California 351 



to a stem. Juniper posts sell for 40 cents apiece in the valley, and 

 even then there is little profit for the post-maker because of the 

 high cost of exploitation. A juniper post which has very little 

 sapwood will last 20 to 35 years under ordinary conditions, but 

 in moist, sandy soils it will rot within 12 to 15 years. 



Dead material of Lodgepole pine {Pinus contorta), Foxtail 

 pine (P. balfouriana) and Pinon (F. monophylla) is used to a 

 considerable extent for posts. The value of any of this material 

 for this purpose depends on the resin content. As a rule, the Fox- 

 tail pine is more apt to show this deposit of resin and for this rea- 

 son is preferred by the ranchers. These posts delivered cost the 

 ranchers 15 to 20 cents apiece. The average life of a non-resin- 

 ous post is 4 to 5 years ; of a very resinous post, 12 to 15 years. 



Cottonwood {Populus fremontii) , aspen (P. tremuloides) and 

 willow are used somewhat for posts, but these species are utilized 

 mostly as cordwood. Posts of these species sell for 3 to 5 cents 

 apiece delivered. Ordinarily, in moist soils the life of these posts 

 does not exceed 2 or 3 years. Under the most favorable condi- 

 tions — that is, in very fine dry soil or in saturated soil — the life 

 may extend to 8 or 10 years. 



A few posts are secured from birch {Betida fontinaiis) , which 

 occurs quite plentifully along most of the streams. These posts 

 are not durable and seldom can more than one post be secured 

 from a stem since this species generally grows in shrub form. 



Lombardy poplar {Populus nigra var. italica) is not a native 

 species but it has been planted extensively for windbreak pur- 

 poses. It grows tall and yields a large number of posts per tree 

 but is very short-lived as post material. The price for Lom- 

 bardy poplar posts and birch posts is about the same as for 

 Cottonwood. 



Wood is already so scarce that people are beginning to use coal, 

 which is very expensive. Pinon wood costs $10 a cord delivered 

 and this is what is known as the short cord. Several carloads of 

 cedar posts have been shipped in from Oregon, such posts 

 costing the ranchers about 30 cents apiece. These posts are of 

 good quality and are probably superior to the posts obtained in 

 the valley, but it is certain that they will continue to rise in price, 

 and it would be more profitable for the ranchers to raise their 

 own posts. 



