FOREST POLICY. 



scattering growth of pines and oaks, often imbedded in brush 

 thickets. 



The bottom lands of Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers 

 have a park like growth of huge oaks, which are now rapidly re- 

 moved by the farmers. 



Ascending the Sierras from the west we find the lowest 

 belt, below 2,000 feet elevation, to consist of gray (digger or nut) 

 pine (Pinus sabiniana), the favorite nut tree of the Indians, occur- 

 ring in very open growth, alternating with oaks and the knob 

 cone pine (Pinus attenuata), which regenerates only under the 

 influence of fire. 



The typical tree of the next higher belt, from 2,000 to 4,000 

 feet elevation, is the nutmeg tree (Tumion Californicum), which is 

 found along the borders of streams. The hillsides show a com- 

 paratively poor growth of pine and fir, the Douglas fir being fre- 

 quently of the "yellow" variety. 



Above this zone, from 4,000 to 10,000 feet elevation, extends 

 the famous timber belt of the Sierras. Rainfall is 50 to 60 inches. 

 Typical for the California Sierras is the lack of any woody under- 

 growth on the ground. The soil is covered with a growth of 

 flowering weeds. Imbedded in this belt are, island-like, ten groves 

 of the big trees (Sequoia gigantea). This species, unlike its sis- 

 ter, the redwood, never grows in pure forests. The companions 

 are Douglas fir, sugar pine, yellow pine, incense cedar and firs 

 (Abies magnifica and concolor). 



At elevations ranging between 3.000 and 8,500 feet, incense 

 cedar frequently replaces the big tree. On old burns, lodge pole 

 pine is found in pure stands. Amongst the nut pines, the one-leaf 

 pine is highly thought of by the Indians. In addition, there oc- 

 cur the bull pine (Pinus Jeffreyi) and the big cone pine (Pinus 

 Coulteri). 



The highest belt, reaching up to the timber line at 12,000 

 feet, is the home of the firs proper. Here the red fir (Abies mag- 

 nifica) and the white fir (Abies concolor) prevail. Timber line 

 itself shows the Alpine hemlock, young trees of which are buried 

 in snow all winter. Pinus monticola, the white pine, is said to 

 excel in power of resistance to storms. The limber white pine 

 (Pinus flexilis) and the white bark pine (Pinus albicaulis) are 

 also found. Two typical species for this zone are the foxtail pine 

 (Pinus Balfouriana) and the bristle cone pine (Pinus aristata). 



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