2 BULLETIN 440, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



secondary ones. The main streams are at low elevations, and the 

 main ridges are narrow but continuous at almost uniform elevations 

 for long distances. The main characteristic of the second division, 

 the Sierras, is deep canyons or stream courses extending in a westerly 

 direction. Between these main streams are high timbered plateaus 

 and ridges. Toward the north the elevations are lower. On the 

 whole the slopes are more uniform and continuous and not so steep 

 as those in the Coast Range. The surface is, however, more often 

 rocky. While the rock of the Coast Range is sedimentary, that of 

 the Sierras is chiefly granite. The third division, east of the Sierras, 

 extends from Truckee on the south to Klamath Lake on the north, 

 and is typically a region of yellow pine timber, fairly easy slopes, 

 and smooth surfaces. There are many broad valleys and level 

 tracts. The soil and rock are volcanic. Although much of this 

 country is actually on the headwaters of streams flowing westward 

 into the Sacramento, it is sufficiently well characterized by the term 

 "East Slope." 



The early lumbering operations in California were in the southern 

 part of the East Slope and, on a smaller scale, in the Southern Sierras. 

 At the present time operations are distributed along the entire 

 western border of the Sierras, and a heavy output comes from both 

 the northern and southern ends of the East Slope division. As yet 

 Imnbering in the Northern Coast Range is on a small scale, and the 

 timber resources of that region await future development, as do 

 extensive areas of virgin timber lands in the Sierras and on the East 

 Slope. 



Because there are no lumbering operations of any size in the 

 Coast Range south of Siskiyou County and none south of the Teha- 

 chapis, the scope of this bulletin is practically confined to the Sierras 

 and the East Slope. The descriptions of logging systems and equip- 

 ment are confined to those actually in use. No attempt is made to 

 contrast methods or efficiency with other regions. 



THE FOREST. 



The total merchantable stand of saw timber in California, exclusive 

 of the redwood belt, has been estimated at 263,600,000,000 feet, 

 board measure, of which 131,200,000,000 feet is privately owned and 

 132,400,000,000 feet is the property of the Government. Of the lat- 

 ter amount, 115,800,000,000 feet is in the National Forests and the 

 rest in national parks and Indian reservations or upon the public 

 domain. The private and National I orest timber taken together, a 

 total of 247,000,000,000 feet, board measure, is composed of the prin- 

 cipal forest species in about the following proportion: Sugar pine, 15 

 per cent; western yellow pine, 38 per cent; Douglas fir, 19 per cent; 

 white fir, 14 per cent; incense cedar, 3 per cent; California red fir, 4 



