produces abundant seed each year, although it is more prolific
at irregular intervals. The seeds germinate readily on decayed moss and
rotten wood as well as upon the mineral soil. Seedlings frequently grow
on fallen logs and extend their vigorous roots around the side until
they reach the ground and become firmly anchored in it. Young hemlocks
thrive in the shade. On logged-off areas which have not been burned over
and which are partially shaded by uncut trees, the reproduction of
hemlock springs up, to the exclusion of the more valuable Douglas fir.

[Illustration: FIG. 6.--The lower slope forest, near Longmire Springs,
altitude 3,000 feet, here composed largely of western hemlock (_Tsuga
heterophylla_); the tree on the extreme left is a Douglas fir
(_Pseudotsuga taxifolia_).

Photograph by A.H. Barnes.]

The hemlock is long lived and grows slowly. The largest trees are from
200 to 500 years old and are usually hollow-hearted. The bark is thin
and the tree very easily killed by ground fire. The wood of the hemlock
is tough, light, and straight grained. It is not as durable as the
Douglas fir and decays rapidly when exposed to the weather. The clear
lumber is suitable for interior finish. The wood is also used for
flooring, joists, lath, and paper pulp. The common and rough lumber does
not find a ready market, except for the limited amount used in temporary
construction. The western hemlock is, however, superior to the eastern
hemlock, and its value will probably be recognized as its usefulness for
many purposes becomes better known.

WESTERN WHITE PINE (PINUS MONTICOLA).

[Illustration: FIG. 7.--A forest of Douglas fir, with an understory of
western hemlock, on the lower slopes of the hills, Mount Rainier
National Park.

Photograph by A.H. Denman.]

The western white pine (fig. 8) is found from southern Alaska to
northern California. In the park it occurs occasionally up to 4,000
feet. It usually grows on level benches and gentle slopes associated
with Douglas fir, western hemlock, and noble and amabilis fir. It
reaches its best development at elevations of from 3,000 to 3,500 feet,
where it attains a height of 150 feet and a diameter of 40 inches. The
shaft is straight, cylindrical, and clear of limbs. It bears a small,
narrow crown of drooping branches. In open areas, where it is exposed to
sunlight, its mode of growth is wholly different. The trunk is short,
rapidly tapering, and bears wide-spreading bra