HANDBOOK FOR CAMPERS. 7 



incense cedar, Douglas fir, ^yhite fir, and a few hardwoods like 

 black oak at the lower elevations. 



A fir zone occurs above the yellow pine, and still higher up 

 a scanty, w^lnd-swept forest of the hardiest alpine species oc- 

 cupies the more sheltered situations. Timber line is located at 

 about 9,000 feet. Above this elevation tree growth is practically 

 absent. 



The boundary lines of these zones are not always clearly 

 defined. Usually there is more or less overlapping where one 

 belt adjoins another. 



For camping purposes the yellow pine-sugar pine forest is the 

 most popular. It is comparatively accessible ; wood, water, and 

 horse feed are easy to get ; and there is plenty of fish and game. 

 The fir belt also contains delightful camping places and rather 

 more picturesque scenery than is found at lower elevations. 

 The Tahoe region and the Gold Lake countrj^ on the Plumas 

 National Forest are examples of the fir type of forest. The 

 Calaveras big-tree grove, in the Stanislaus National Forest, is 

 located in the yellow pine-sugar pine type. 



The foothills are attractive only during the rainy season, 

 being hot, dusty, and lacking water during the summer ; and 

 the high summits are too bleak for anything more than short 

 mountaineering excursions from camps located at lower levels. 



The Xatioal Forests in California comprise 19,004, .563 acres 

 of Government land. The private holdings of timberland within 

 the State are chiefly ^^^thin or adjacent to the National Forests. 

 Most owners are cooperating with the Government in protecting 

 their forests from fire. 



In the southern California Forests are large brush areas. 



The chief purpose in protecting these is to conserve the water 

 supply upon which thousands of acres of valuable land depend 

 for irrigation. The timbered portions are protected not only 

 for the sake of the water supply, but also in order to perpetuate 

 the supply of timber. The stand of timber on Government land 



