8 BULLETIN 1494, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
at the extreme lower edge of the type, white pine land even on level 
ground and in good soil has no great agricultural value. The deep 
snowfall insures ample moisture, which results in a vigorous and 
rank forest growth, at times almost resembling the luxuriant Pacific 
coast forests. Underbrush is usually heavy, and the ground becomes 
covered with a deep layer of duff from partly decomposed vegetable 
matter. 
The western white pine type comprises an extremely complex mix- 
ture of species. The principal associate species are Douglas fir, west- 
ern larch, lowland white fir, western red cedar, and western hemlock. 
From an economic standpoint these species are at present a problem 
both to the forester and the lumberman. For the past five years 
the spread between the average mill-run prices of white pine lumber 
and larch and Douglas fir lumber has been about $24. White fir has 
run about $2 above larch and Douglas fir. 
It is obvious that under logging conditions where white pine can 
be logged at a fair profit, larch, Douglas fir, white fir, and hemlock 
will show an actual loss. In many cases this loss amounts to from 
$3 to $7 a thousand. This condition, as will be shown later, has a 
profound influence on the possibilities of the practice of forestry in 
the western white pine type. . 
Most of the white pine type originally came into being as even- 
aged forests following forest fires. Young stands of this character 
following fires in 1889 and 1910 occur extensively. At about 70 to 
80 years, on average sites, such a stand begins to reach merchantable 
size. At 120 to 160 years it is at its best and usually attains maxi- 
mum volume. At some time between 160 and 200 years most stands 
begin to deteriorate. Decay becomes prevalent, and the loss from 
bark-beetle attacks may be very great. The white pine drops out 
more rapidly than most of its associate species and by the time the 
forest is 300 or 400 years old, or even earlier, has generally disap- 
peared entirely, leaving a residual stand of the shade-enduring 
species, chiefly hemlock, cedar, and white fir, ordinarily very defec- 
tive at this age. Overmature stands such as this are common in the 
national forests, but most privately owned timber is younger. 
BASIC FACTS BEARING ON TIMBER GROWING 
SEED STORAGE 
Western white pine bears a good seed crop about every three or 
four years. The seeds drop from the cones in the late fall and 
become buried in the heavy layer of duff which often accumulates 
to a depth of 5 or 6 inches under the dense cool shade of the virgin 
forest. It has been well established through observation and ex- 
periment that white pine seed thus buried in the duff and well 
shaded retains its vitality for several years. If the duff layer is 
not destroyed by fire, the seeds germinate when the timber is cut and 
a new stand is established. 
Reforestation from seed in the duff can be expected in the major- 
ity of cases after cutting. It apparently does not always occur, 
however. Failures are probably due to too long an interval between 
the cutting and the last seed crop, or perhaps in some instances to 
an exceptionally dry season following cutting, which, if it does not 
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