10 BULLETIlSr 426_, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTUEE. 



SUGAR PINE-YELLOV/ PINE TYPE. 



In the sugar pine-yellow pine type, sugar pine makes up over 15 

 per cent of the stand, its associates in the order of their commercial 

 importance being yellow pine, white fir, Douglas fir, incense cedar, 

 Jeffrey pine, and bigtree. This type generally occurs at an elevation 

 of from 4,000 to 7,000 feet in the western central Sierra region of 

 California. Sugar pine is at its best in this region and many large 

 pine lumbering operations are located within it. The altitudinal 

 limits of the type vary- with change of latitude, being somewhat 

 lower in the northern part of California and higher in the southern. 

 Because of the exacting moisture requirements of sugar pine, the 

 heaviest stands in this type are found in moist draws, or gulches, 

 where the humidity is highest, and on north and east slopes. It is 

 in the gulches that Douglas fu- is most promment. On the hotter, 

 drier slopes, sugar pine is largely replaced by yellow pine and cedar. 



SUGAR-PINE FIR TYPE. 



The sugar pine-fir type has over 15 per cent sugar pine, Douglas 

 fir and white fir in considerable quantities, and no yellow pine. It 

 occurs in favorable moist, humid situations and is found principally 

 in the northern portion of the Sierra Nevadas and Coast Ranges. 

 This type covers a much smaller area than the sugar pine-yellow pine 

 type and is relatively unimportant. To the south it merges into the 

 yellow pine-sugar pine or fir type. 



In addition to these two distinct cover types in which sugar pine 

 is the key tree, it is found less well represented in the yellow pine, 

 Jeffrey pine, fh", and red fir types. In short, wherever the annual 

 precipitation is sufficient to meet its requirements and sufficient light 

 is available, this tree may be fomid. As moisture conditions become 

 less favorable it seeks sheltered localities, and as they improve it 

 ventures into more exposed situations. The dense shade and fogs 

 of the coast redwood and Douglas fh' forests prevent it from becom- 

 ing an important factor in the heavily forested belt west of the Cali- 

 fornia coast range. 



THE WOOD. 



APPEARANCE AND STRUCTURE. 



In external appearance the wood of sugar pine is strikingly similar 

 to that of eastern white pine (Pinus strohus) and western whit© pine 

 (Pinus monticola). The sapwood and heartwood are fairly well de- 

 fined; the former is;white or yellowish white, the latter a very light 

 brown, sometimes tinged with red in old trees which are very 

 resinous. 



QUAHTY.t 



Sugar pine is moderately hard and heavy, moderately strong and 

 stiff, poor in shock-resisting ability, moderately coarse but straight- 



1 The paragraphs dealing with markets and manufacture and the uses, quality, weight, strength, dura- 

 bility, and treatment of the wood were prepared by Carl A. Kupfer, forest examiner, Forest Service. 



