FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 147 



Redwood Peak in Oakland Hills; but south of San Francisco, on seaward coast range, 

 covers crest and wt-st slope, mixed with Douglas fir and other trees, extending southward 

 through Santa Cruz Mountains. Ceases for a few miles around Monterey Bay, hut in 

 Santa Lucia Mountains (Monterey County) occurs in canyons chiefly on seaward side of 

 range at altitudes from sea-level to 3,000 feet (the largest trees growing in Little Sur 

 River Basin, near Pico Blanco), extending south to Salmon Creek Canyon (12 miles 

 south of I'unta Gorda, lat. 35° 50'), the southern limit. 



OCCUBRENCE. 



Best stands and all pure stands on protected flats and bendhes along larger streams, 

 sheltered, moist coastal plains, river deltas, moderate west slopes and valleys opening 

 toward sea. At higher, more exposed levels, where it is drier, and on steeper slopes 

 growth is smaller and gradually gives way in mixture to less exacting species. In north, 

 often on east slopes, but in south restricted to west side of coast range. Very exacting 

 in requirements as to soil moisture ; prefers deep to shallow soils, and grows better in 

 fresh, well-drained soils than in wet ones. Sandstone prevails in range, and soil is 

 clayey to sandy (greasy when wet), yellowish, and capable of holding much water. 

 Sandy to clayey loam soil, even on steep slopes, usually of fair depth and of good compo- 

 sition. Boggy soils near mouths of streams are not suitable, such localities being mainly 

 given over to an irregular forest of Sitka spruce, grand fir, Port Orford cedar, and 

 hardwoods. 



Relatively small part (less than 50 square miles) of redwood forest is pure growth. 

 This is dense, and with little undergrowth except moss and small herbaceous plants. 

 Greater part (about 1,800 square miles) a mixture of redwood (50 to 75 per cent), 

 Douglas fir (most abundant associate everywhere except on damp places), tanbark oak, 

 grand fir, western red cedar, western hemlock, and madrofia ; Douglas fir and tanbark oak 

 characteristic on upper slopes and hemlock on lower. Steep slope and uneven height 

 of different species make this an open forest, and except where fires are frequent there is 

 a dense undergrowth of huckleberry, salal, Oregon grape, thimbleberry. and ferns." On 

 rich river flats scattered Sitka spruce, Port Orford cedar, western hemlock, and grand 

 fir are occasionally mingled. Pacific yew, California torreya, California laurel, cascara 

 buckthorn, red alder, knobcone pine, and Gowen cypress are also more or less associated, 

 but hold only occasional sites against the climatically more favored redwood. 



Climatic Conditions.- — Closely confined to humid region subject to frequent and heavy 

 sea fogs: trees outside this influence are scattered and small. Fogs conserve moisture 

 in soil and in trees by checking evaporation and transpiration from trees. In the red- 

 wood forest, therefore, soil and air are typically moist. Temperature, rarely below 15° 

 or above 100° ; annual average from 50° to 60° F. Annual precipitation, between 20 

 and 60 inches, mainly as winter rains. Snow lies on tops only of highest ridges. 



Tolerance. — Moderately tolerant of shade except in early youth ; even then shade 

 Is not required, most rapid growth being in full light. Has marked characteristics of 

 intolerant trees : a thin open crown, rapid loss of side branches, and the eager bending 

 of crowns toward openings in crown cover ; seedlings not able to come up in shaded 

 places. Yet, despite this, forms the densest of forests. Stump sprouts often exist under 

 the densest shade for one hundred years, growing very slowly in diameter during this 

 time, but recovering completely and growing rapidly when released from suppression. 

 This tolerance of sprouts is, however, peculiar to trees on moist bottoms, which endure 

 so much shade that other species are usually driven out. On drier hills, with more light, 

 redwood generally gives way to the less tolerant Douglas fir and other drought-enduring 

 trees. 



Reproduction. — Fairly prolific seeder. Very small percentage (15 to 25 per cent) of 

 seed perfect; hence exceedingly low rate of germination; vitality moderately persistent. 

 Sparsely reproduced by seed, but very abundantly by sprouts from old or young stumps, 

 root collar, and (suckers) roots.'' Sprouts grow very rapidly, an- long-lived, and pro- 

 duce large trees of good form. Seedlings grow more slowly than sprouts and require 

 more light. 



"Redwood forests yield 10,000 to 75,000 board feet per acre, or very exceptionally 

 400,000 feet, while over a million feet have been cut per acre. 



"Redwood is about the only conifer whose reproduction by sprouts is of commercial 

 Importance. The Sierra bigtree sprouts vigorously from tall broken stubs (not from 

 stumps or roots) and thus repairs its broken crown. A number of pines produce ephem- 

 eral stump sprouts, while some of the junipers produce persistent collar sprouts after 

 cutting and fire. 



