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The Olymic Forest and Its Potential Possibilities. 



By Albert B. Reagan. 



The Olympic Peninsula lies west of Puget Sound in the State of Washing- 

 ton. It comprises a wide, somewhat benched coastal strip bordering both 

 the Strait of Juan de Fiica at the north, the Pacific Ocean at the west, and 

 the "Sound" on the east. This coastal strip surrounds a central high area 

 termed the Olympic Mountains. These mountains are wholly isolated. 

 They form an eroded, domed area in the central-northeastern part of the 

 peninsula. From this main mass there extends a western limb in declining 

 altitude to Cape Flattery at the entrance of the Strait of Fuca, Mounts 

 Constance, Meany, and Olympus of the central area approximate 8,150 

 feet in height, while the immediate region exceeds 6,000 feet in elevation, 

 while the ridge towards the Cape receds to less than 2,000 feet in altitude. 

 As a result of the practically domed area the drainage is radial in all directions, 

 but the larger streams flow into the Pacific. 



This peninsula, with its lofty peaks, stands first in the path of the moisture 

 bearing winds from the Pacific. As a result, the precipitation is very heavy ; 

 at the coast it is usually rain, in the mountains snow. The precipitation 

 averages about 40 inches east and north of the mountains, as far up the 

 Strait of Fuca side as Port Angeles. West of the mountains at an elevation 

 of 3,000 feet the precipitation averages 80 inches and in Upper-Strait-Flattery 

 region and along the Pacific front 100 to 120 inches annually. The climate, 

 also, is controlled by the prevailing southwesterly winds from the Pacific. 

 Notwithstanding this, hoAvever, the valleys of the upper mountain districts 

 are filled with glaciers. At the coast, however, especially on the Pacific front, 

 snow seldom stays on the ground any length of time. 



Growing under this equable climate with such an abundance of rainfall 

 (enough in amount to preserve the forest and shrubbery from general de- 

 struction by fire), the peninsula, with few exceptions, is the most densely 

 forested region in North America, and smaller plants do also equally well. 

 Of course, as one approaches the mountains, the forest becomes less dense 

 till the timber line is reached; but in the reverse proportion the flowering 

 herbs at the same time increase in number and beauty. The open country 

 at timber line in summer is one of nature's flower gardens. The region in 



