170 FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 



Wood, appropriately named " yellow " from its clear sulphur-yellow color, 

 exceedingly fine-grained; though light, it is comparatively heavy for its class, 

 being from 10 to 12 pounds heavier per cubic foot than western red cedar ; 

 elastic, but somewhat brittle, and firm, and splits and works very easily. It 

 is remarkably durable when exposed to weather, earth, or water. Logs of 

 yellow cypress have lain on moist ground for half a century with little decay. 

 The firm structure of the wood, together with the ease with which it is worked 

 and the attractive finish it takes, renders it especially useful for interior finish 

 and cabinet work, as well as for special uses requiring soft, light, durable wood. 

 The comparatively limited supply of this wood is likely always to confine its 

 usefulness to a few special but, nevertheless, important purposes. Very im- 

 portant as an associate with other trees capable of forming protective cover on 

 cold, high slopes. 



Longevity. — Little is known of the longevity of yellow cypress. It grows 

 very slowly in height and diameter, however, and doubtless is very long-lived. 

 Trees from 15 to 20 inches in diameter are from 200 to 275 years old. Very large 

 trunks are probably from 500 to 600 years old. Further records are desirable. 



RANGE. 



Coast and islands of southeastern Alaska and British Columbia and southward on 

 coast and in Cascades through Washington and northern Oregon. North of Vancouver 

 Island at sea-level to 3,000 feet ; in Cascades of Washington and Oregon at from 2,500 

 to 7,000 feet elevation. 



Alaska. — Sea slope of Coast Range and islands northward to Wrangell and to Prince 

 of Wales Island, at from sea-level to timherline (2,000 to 3,000 feet) ; scattered, forming 

 about 10 per cent of stand, and best growth between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. Farther 

 north, only in isolated group at Sitka, at Icy Cape (just north of Cross Sound), a 

 single tree on Khantaak Island (Yakutat Bay), a few trees on Hawkins Island at east 

 end of Prince William Sound, and on opposite mainland, 6 or 7 miles from Orca ; 

 small area on Glacier Island (Prince William Sound, just west of Port Yaldes), and on 

 opposite mainland from Long Bay to Unganik Bay (lat. 61°, long. 147° 20'), the 

 northern and western limits. Locally noted also on Ketchikan Creek and Shrimp Bay, 

 at 700 feet ; Revillagigedo Island ; Peter's Mountain ; Pearse Canal, at 725 feet ; Kasan 

 Bay; Prince of Wales Island, and at Wrangell. 



British Columbia. — Islands and sea side of Coast Range, at from sea-level to 2,000 

 and 3,000 feet elevation as far south as northern part of Queen Charlotte Sound (north 

 end Vancouver Island), and at higher elevations farther south. Occurs sparingly on 

 Queen Charlotte Islands, on exposed west coast near sea-level, near Massett, at head 

 of West Arm of Cumshewa Inlet and of Rose Harbor, as well as other inlets of Moresby 

 Island ; abundant on mountains between 2,000 and 5,000 feet. Southward, leaving sea- 

 level, it becomes general on slopes, appearing on Burrard Inlet at an altitude of 

 several hundred feet ; common in northern part of Vancouver Island, short distance 

 inland, on plateaus and mountains, and sparingly on Lake Nimpkish ; common in 

 southern part, at from 1,000 feet up, in Renfrew district on Mount Edinburg (3,250 

 feet), and in Gordon River Valley; noted on Nanaimo River and Mount Benson (near 

 Nanaimo). Inland on mainland, in Fraser Valley, to Silver Mountain (near Yale), at 

 4,000 to 5,000 feet. 



Washington. — Frequent in Olympic Mountains and on west side of Cascades north 

 of Mount Rainier, generally at from 2,000 to 7,500 feet ; less abundant farther south 

 in Cascades and on headwaters of rivers on east side. Ridges of Olympics below 3,500 

 feet, and to lowlands at mouths of rivers on Pacific coast ; locally noted on upper part 

 of South Fork of Skokomish River. Not recorded in Coast Range south of Olympics. 

 Washington National Forest (west side of Cascades), moist slopes and benches at from 

 2,000 feet to 6,500 feet ; locally noted in Green and White River valleys. Washington 

 National Forest (east side of Cascades), moist valleys or slopes near main divide, 

 at elevations of 2,100 feet to 6,000 feet ; noted as follows : Skagit Pass ; Methow River ; 

 Rattlesnake Creek ; Stehekin River down to within about 5 miles of Stehekin ; Horseshoe 

 Basin, near Mount Amos ; Stevens Pass, at head of tributary of Wenache River ; 

 Wenache River Valley ; Mount Stuart ; Yakima River Valley. Mount Rainier National 

 Forest, at 2,600 to 7,400 feet, forming 1 to 2 per cent of forest in White. Puyallup, 

 Cowlitz, and Cispus river water sheds (west side of Cascades), and extending south- 



