4 
It is not sensitive to cold ; but shrinks away from the very 
dry valleys of the interior plateau, where the western yellow 
pine generally abounds. 
It is. a prolific seeder, but with rather low vitality, and in 
many sections of the Province is being replaced by hemlock 
and black pine — to which I purpose referring in connection 
with reforestation. 
Douglas fir occurs occasionally in such dense stands, that 
an acre may yield in the neighborhood of 300,000 feet of mer- 
chantable timber. 
I may mention two of these remarkable localities where 
the forest is still standing; namely, on Robertson river which 
flows into Cowichan lake, and around Roberts lake, Say ward 
District. 
These extraordinarily choice spots give no criterion upon 
which to make an estimate of the average yield. 
The fairly well timbered areas of Douglas fir yield an 
average of about 50,000 feet per acre. 
\ 
WESTERN RED CEDAR (Thuja plicata) 
This is the large cedar of the coast region, reaching a 
maximum of about 20 feet in diameter. I have measured 
several around 50 feet in circumference four feet from the 
ground, although, of course, these are exceptionally large, and 
are invariably heart-rotten and hoary with age. 
The best timber runs about four to six feet in diameter, 
and about 120 feet in height. 
This cedar, like the Douglas fir, is specially indigenous 
to the north-west portion of North America, and reaches its 
maximum size and best development in the extra humid 
regions of the Pacific slope. 
It will stand an immense amount of atmospheric moisture, 
but does. not favor very soggy ground for its roots. It thrives 
best where limestone is the underlying country rock. I have 
seen immense trees growing on bare limestone with the roots 
ramifying the fissures. 
