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“^ he re( * an <* yellow fir trees, which constitute about one-half 
of the dense growth of timber of Oregon and Washington Ter¬ 
ritory, have become celebrated throughout the world for their 
magnificent proportions and the serviceable quality of the spars 
and lumber supplied from them. They frequently furnish sticks 
150 feet long, 10x18, and even 24x24 inches square, without a 
particle of sap, without a rent or check, perfectly sound and 
straight. Planks of this timber, 60 and 90 feet long, are readily 
obtainable, thus avoiding the necessity for more than one-third 
to one-half as many butts or scarfs in a ship’s sides, decks, or 
fore-and-aft timbers as are required in Eastern or European 
vessels. As to the strength of these woods many mechanics 
think it fully 7 ' equal to that of the Eastern white oak, and they 
all agree that if oak be stronger, nothing is easier than to us,e 
enough more of our fir to make up the difference in strength. 
In some other respects the fir has the advantage over oak. It 
contains just enough pitch to enable it to hold iron fastenings 
with a tenacity so great that bolts and spikes generally break 
before they will draw out of it. Iron never becomes * sick ’ 
when embedded in it, as it does when corroded by the acid 
which saturates all kinds of oak. As to its durability, we know 
that although it has not yet been tested as the sole material of 
a guano or pepper ship, yet it has been extensively used for new 
timbers, planking, ceiling, decks, keelsons and stancheons, in 
large vessels repaired on the coast; it has been the sole material 
used in building our coasting and river schooners ; it has built 
the Chrysopolis, YoSemite, Capital, Geo. S. Wright, John T. 
Wright , and many other river steamers. It has been used in 
doubling and rebuilding all the old steamers on this coast, and 
we have never yet met a ship-master who, during our fifteen years 
of this experience, has complained of its want of durability 
The gravelly prairies adjacent to the sound are thinly tim¬ 
bered with pasture oak ; this timber is close grained and elastic ; 
the trunks of those trees are generally too short for keel pieces, 
keelsons, beams or planks, but are long enough and well adapt¬ 
ed for stem, stern and rudder posts, windlass barrels arid pall- 
bitts, catheads, davits, chocks, jaws and cleats; the limbs and 
branches afford good materials for boatbuilding. Ash abounds 
on our river bottoms convenient to the shores; this wood is 
suitable for staves, hoops, hanks, oars and paddles. Elm in 
moderate quantities is also convenient, from which blocks and 
