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Low Gap to Ukiah
it is heavier than most green lumber. Trees on north slope make heavier lumber than trees on east slope or on south slope. Trees on ridges have much lighter wood than trees in canons - From Low Gap one climbs to the summit of the divide which is Pine Ridge. Purdy says that in this country the Tan Oaks (with the exception of trees favored by locality on shoulders or points) were all about 40 years old at the time he examined them. That meant that they had grown since the coming in of the whites, since when fires have been stopped as an annual feature. The Indians systematically fired the country both to keep their trails open and to drive game. The whole problem of forestation in this country is to keep out fires -- the woods will grow up everywhere -- even
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10_157
June 30, 1903.
where previously there have been no woods. Cattlemen are coming to make regular cuttings and girdlings to improve the feed. - Between the summit and Ukiah there are many oaks. -- Tan Oaks & Black Oaks on the summit, occasional Maul Oak, lower down Garry Oak, then Interior Live Oak comes in, on the lower stretches there is Blue Oak, and finally in the valley floor we have Douglas Spruce, Madrona, Interior Live Oak (Purdy says Encina), Black Oak and Valley Oak.
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