TIMBER VALUATION 



131 



7000, the Douglas fir is mixed with western hemlock and several 

 species of balsam. All the tree subtypes referred to above occur 

 in the western slope of the Cascade Range. Its eastern side being 

 sheltered from the moist Pacific winds has much less precipitation. 

 As a consequence the stands are more open and the Douglas fir 

 shares preeminence with western larch, a species which makes 

 only moderate demands upon soil moisture. A comparative 

 stand table for these different subtypes under virgin conditions 

 is given below: 



M 



Fir-cedar 60 



Pure fir 100 



Fir-hemlock 75 



Fir-larch 30 



Accurate growth data for all the species found in the type are 

 not available, but good figures do exist for Douglas fir and it 

 seemed wise to make estimates for the other species in order to 

 give at least a relative notion of their growth. 



50 yrs. 100 yrs. 



Height 



50 yrs. 100 yrs. 



Douglas fir 



Red cedar 



Lawson cypress. . 



Sitka spruce 



Western hemlock 



Grand fir 



Amabilis fir 



Western larch 



24" 102 ' 154' 28M 79M 



slower growing than Douglas fir 



Timber Valuation. — The following quotation from Comp- 

 ton's " Organization of the Timber Industry " sets forth the early 

 conditions in regard to stumpage prices of Douglas fir. 



" During the eighties the prevailing price of stumpage in 

 Washington was not over 15 cents per M feet. Between 1898 

 and 1908 prices trebled. A stand of eight million feet (estimated) 

 was bought in 189 1 for $800 or for 10 cents per M feet. In 1909 

 the same tract was sold for $18,500 or for S2.31 per M feet. As 

 late as 1903 a stand of 472 million feet (estimated) was purchased 



