14 THE FORESTS OF ALASKA. 



prise 26,761,626 acres; and a large proportion of this area is forested. 

 The species are chiefly western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) , Sitka 

 spruce (Picea sitchensis) , western red cedar (Thuja plicata), and 

 yellow cedar (Chamcecy parts nootkatensis) , Avith occasional speci- 

 mens of lodgepole, or shore, pine (Pinus contorta), black hemlock 

 (Tsuga mertensiana) , Alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) , black and white 

 spruce (Picea mariana, and Picea canadensis) , balm of Gilead, locally 

 known as balsam poplar (Popidus balsamifera) , black cottonwood 

 (Populus trichocarpa) , Oregon alder (Alnus oregona) , and several 

 birches and willows. Sitka spruce and hemlock grow almost every- 

 where in this region, though in Kenai Peninsula the spruce extends 

 farther westward than the hemlock and grows also on Kodiak 

 Island. The cedars grow in commercial quantities only in the ex- 

 treme southeastern part, though yellow cedar is occasionally found in 

 the Chugach Forest. Lodgepole pine grows as far north as Skagway, 

 but is of no commercial importance. 



On the coast the timber line is low. On Deer Mountain at Ketchi- 

 kan, for instance, spruce saw timber stops at about 1,500 feet, and the 

 peak, with an elevation of 3,000 feet, bears only stunted black 

 hemlock. 



GEOWTH AND STAND. 



In the coast region the stand is generally dense, and as much as 

 25,000 feet per acre has been estimated for considerable tracts. Sitka 

 spruce probably averages 20 per cent of the stand, and western hem- 

 lock about 75 per cent. The spruce reaches a large size, and occa- 

 sionally attains diameters of more than 6 feet and heights of 150 feet. 

 Diameters of 3 to 4 feet are attained by Avestern red cedar. While by 

 far the most abundant species, Avestern hemlock does not produce as 

 large individual trees as the spruce or the cedar. (PL II, fig. 1.) 

 The heavy rainfall causes an undergrowth of moss and brush which 

 completely covers the surface except where it is too rocky or too 

 steep. So dense is this surface covering that one may walk long dis- 

 tances without touching bare soil. Water exudes from the moss 

 Avhen it is stepped upon, as from a sponge, and consequently there is 

 little or no damage by fire in the coast forests. 



Practically the entire forest of the coast region is overmature. It 

 has been accumulating for ages uninjured by fire or cutting. Shallow, 

 rocky soil, steep mountain slopes, or poor drainage often prevent 

 thrifty growth, and on such sites " stagheadedness " and decay are 

 common. In faA 7 orable situations the rate of growth of the coast trees 

 is fairly rapid. The f olloAving examples are typical : 



A western red-cedar stump in good soil on the south slope of a 

 gorge above Ketchikan shoAved 235 rings. The diameter of this 

 stump outside the bark was 38 inches. A 40-inch Sitka spruce stump 

 in the same locality had 230 rings. This tree had been 125 feet high. 



