DOUGLAS FIR, DOUGLAS SPRUCE OR RED FIR. 



(Pseudotsuga.) 



This species affords the " hard pine " of the Pacific Coast. 

 The trees, among the most important of the West, form almost 

 pure forests in western Washington and Oregon where they are 

 best developed. They grow at high altitudes, as in Colorado: 

 specimens are found in Texas and Mexico, and isolated experi- 

 ments have succeeded in the Adirondacks. 



The wood suggests true hard pine or larch in properties, 

 appearance and applications. It is almost wholly heartwood, 

 with pronounced yearly rings, and is of a yellow or light red 

 color. It is strong, stiff, durable, and often difficult to work; 

 it is the heavy construction wood of its vicinity; while the pos- 

 sibility of easily obtaining such material in pieces two feet square 

 and one hundred feet long renders it one of the principal di- 

 mension timbers of the world. Douglas fir is employed in heavy 

 constructions for posts, poles, piles, masts, railway ties, lumber, 

 flooring, finish and fuel. Lumbermen recognize "red" and 

 "yellow" varieties. The former, derived from younger trees, 

 is coarser and less valuable. Douglas fir wood is marketed under 

 the names of Oregon, hard and Pacific pine, red fir, red spruce, 

 yellow fir, etc. The trees, among the greatest known to man, 

 are said to have reached heights of three hundred and fifty feet 

 and diameters of ten or twelve feet. They are very hardy, and, 

 like redwoods, likely to survive commercial extinction. The 

 bark, which is sometimes two feet thick, is rich in tannin. 



The tree, although known as Oregon Pine and Douglas Fir, 

 is neither true pine nor fir but a sort of bastard hemlock. The 

 name pseudotsuga is from pseudo or false and Isuga or hemlock. 

 The species was earlier classed as Pinus taxifolia and Abies 

 taxifolia. Some notes respecting the difficulties connected with 

 the nomenclature of this species are on pages 23 and 24 of Sud- 

 worth's Check List. The genus has three species. The much 

 less important Big Cone Spruce (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa) of 

 California yields inferior wood. 



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