Report on Second Growth Redwood

A report on the recent experimental sawing of second growth redwood at the Men'docino Lumber Company's mill at Mendocino, ccintains much interesting data regarding the growth and value of young redwood timber. The report, by Professor Emanuel Fritz of the division of forestryof the University of California, emphasizes the importance of seconcl growth redwood forests to coast towns and the redwood timber counties in general.

The study was undertaken to determine how much re'dwood can be grown on an acre in a given time and also to determine the quality of the timber thus produced. Last year under Professor Donald Bruce, also of the univer5ity, a number of second-growth stands of different ages were measured in all the counties where redwood occurs naturally, and it was found trhat redwood grows with such amazing rapidity that no other American forest tree can_equal it.- Not only redwood, but its associates-white fir, Douglas fir and Sitka spruce-were found to make very rapid growth. The redwood region of California is thus certain [o continue to be one of the mrost important lumber producing regions ,of the United States when the old growth begins to give out.

For the experiment in question a small plot was selected on Big rivei below the High Chute Ridge' It contained only three quarters of an acre, but carried a good _stan'dt of young redwood trees. These trees were chopped -and as the trees were felled the university people and the forester of the lJnion Lumber Company, V. B. Davis, m,ade many measurements o,n the stumps and logs to determine the rate of growth. The logs were taken. to the mill and sawn. Each board as it left the saw was given a num'ber corresponding to the log number, thus permitting-a rccord of-the ictual Contents of each log. The logs contained zlo,00o feet, net scale, including three old growth redwoodi trees and one Douglas fir. A rough tally made in the yard of all the lumber, iies and small dimension stuff actually cut from tlhe logs gave 62,000 feet. This is a considerable ovef-run over the deck scale and is explained by the universlty men by the fact that there was very little loss because of decay and 'because the utilization was very close, the smallest board sawed being 1x3x4. The sawing of ties an'd some dimension and the use of the resarv also helped to cut down the loss due to sawkerf.

Nc great amount of clear quas expected because of the branchy character of young redwood trees,_but general_satisfaction was expressed of the quality of the material from such young trees. Excellent number one ties were obtained and the inch boards are of a grade of Common. No strength tests have yet been made, but from an examination of thJ material and because of the very small loss sustained by breakage in the woods the university men believe that the strength of second-growth will com;pare very favorably with that of old-grbwth redwood. The heart wood of ihe second-growth is considered very durable, this conclusion being based on examinatior of many piles and potes which have been in use ten years and more. Ttt. i"p wood is thick on young growth, averaging 1 3-4 to 2 inches in thickness as comparid to an average of about If inches on old growth, it has an important bearing on the usq of young [rowth where conditions for decay are favorable. Theri a-re regions in the United States where second-growth lumber of other species, no better than second-growth redwood, is already of great commercial importance and'com' mends a high price. It is certain th,at such lum,ber will have a good value in the general markets o{ California when olii-growth lumber becomes scarce and.expensive.

The expiriment was not intended to determine the feasi' bility of placing second-growth. redwood on the general maricets. -The limber made in the experiment will not be placed on the market, but will be used locally on comrpa:ry improvements. The experiments were expected only to yieid information that would be of practical value to the owners of cutover lands, who are interested in starting a new forest now with the hope of realizing a profit in the distant future. Since it takes at least 50 years to produce mer.chantable trees it is evideet that a start must be made at once if we are to have plentyl of lumber w,hen the old grow,th givrcs out.

Reforestation activities of the several redwood lumber companies will soon be on such a scale that the forests now being planted will assure a continuous supp-!y.of lo-gs followiig the depletion of the virgin forests. This makes for permanent towns, permaren.t'local industries, and better property values, and is therefore of first importance to lowns in the redwood region.

Fire is a serious enemy to any forest, even a redwood l'orest, and every man, woman an'd child in thel redwood 'counties should be interested in keeping fires out of the forest. Fires will have a very important bearing on the future ,of redwood towns and the value of their properties. Redwood operators have engaged in a plan of reforestation of their cut-over lands of the greatest magnitude and im,portance. Their nurseries will soon be. producing " t-9t^".! of ZtQ million small trees per ye_a.r' sufficient -to plan 5000 acres per year. But along with this effort of the companies to provide tim'ber for future generations must come an awikened public sentiment against fire. New forests cannot succeed unless fires are kept out of them.