LUMBER TREES 109 



which has shown its capacity to maintain itself 

 through successive eras during which there have 

 been tremendous climatic changes. 



It follows that our native forest trees have in 

 their heredity the reminiscence of many and 

 widely varying environments. And by the same 

 token they have capacity for variation, and 

 therefore afford exceptional opportunity for 

 diversified development. 



It is not necessary here to analyze in great 

 detail the qualities of the different groups of 

 forest trees. A brief summary of the character- 

 istics of a few of the more important groups 

 will serve to suggest the abundance of native 

 material, and to give at least an inkling as to 

 what may be expected, in the light of what was 

 revealed by the experiments with the walnuts, as 

 to possibilities of development of the different 

 tribes. 



Of course the great family of cone bearers 

 stands in the foreground, represented by many 

 species, and known as the timber trees that give 

 us the the pine lumber which has everywhere been 

 the chief material for the carpenter, and an im- 

 portant foundation material for the cabinet- 

 maker. 



We have but to recall the giant sequoias of 

 California, the largest trees existing anywhere in 



