ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



95 



PATE HIGHWAY IN 1919 



sre lumbering operations were started 



A REDWOOD FOREST 

 After Cutting 



readjust their root system to the decaying trunk 

 beneath it. 



The vitality of the second growth throws up 

 a circular ring of new and beautiful Redwoods 

 around the parent stump, and these little trees 

 come up again and again if cut. If, however, 

 they are burned several times in succession, this 

 capacity of shoot reproduction appears to be lost 

 and there are cases, notably about fifteen miles 

 north of Arcata, in Humboldt County, where the 

 highway, passes through three or four miles of 

 very large and thickly set burned stumps that 

 show little or no signs of reforestation, proving 

 that there are conditions where human greed 

 and human carelessness make it impossible for 

 even the Redwood to survive. 



The age of the Redwood is about half that of 

 the Sierra Big Tree, and the life of a mature 

 Redwood runs from 500 to 1,300 years, in many 

 cases probably rather more. 



The diameter of the larger Redwoods is sixteen 

 feet and over, and the height runs from 100 to 

 340 feet. Thus, while the diameter is less, the 

 height is far greater than its cousin, the Big 

 Tree, with the result and effect of a graceful 

 beauty rather than vast solidity. It is probable 

 that trees will be found which will exceed this 

 maximum altitude, and it is quite possible that 

 an ultimate height of 350 feet may be recorded. 

 One would anticipate the discovery of this tall- 

 est tree on earth either in Bull Creek Flat or 

 along Redwood Creek. 



