Redwood cut~over lands and their use By Arnold Newton Weber B. S. 1923 THESIS Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Forestry in the GRADUATE DIVISION ; of the V UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Q;LZZZC<1fi?;/<7’CE5:IAIAZ,/ '0... OOOCUOOCOOOIOOO 0.00% g \ Deposited in the University LibraryV/‘gmzzl/fzé W/fi e/f VVVVV Date Librarian?) II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. CONTLNTS. FOREWORD. INTRODUCTION REDWOOD CUT—OVER LAND MAP DESCRIPTION OF REDWOOD REGION CLEARING OF REDWOOD CUT-OVER LAND STATUS OF AGRICULTURE GRAZING FORESTRY CONCLUSION 606284 15. 25. 59. 58. 65. In research work the object is to ascertain facts or to search out laws in respect to the phenomena under consideration. The phenomena may be of any kind or may be an idea which the searcher seeks to prove or disprove. This is called critical re- search. On the other hand there is research work which seeks out facts, which are the prime requisite for further development of any one part of the subject. In other words, the foundation is laid for the development of further research by giving the worker an insight into the whole field, enabling him to use the study as a guide, and on which to build his own studies. This latter work is not research in the strict sense but is a study. In the art and science of forestry, there are a number of different phases, each closely and intimately related. Silvi- culture treats of the methods of cutting the forest, mensuration deals with the measurement of the volumes, yields, and growth of the forest, and management treats of the practice and application of forestry to the forest business. In other words, forest management applies the principles of silviculture and mensuration to the forest. Moreover, forest management includes the inventory, condition, and development of the forest resources. Resources as used here is a very broad and all-inclusive term, not including only the timber on the area but also including the soil on which the timber groWs. Thus, the forester is not only interested in the above, but is also interested in the drainage, topography, character of the soil, and the classification of the land as to agricultural and timber growing use. Therefore, before any steps can be taken in forest management it is first necessary to determine whether the land is best suited to growing of timber, to growing of agri— cultural crops, or for grazing. This study is indirectly concerned with forest manage- ment, in that it is attempting to produce a picture of the condi- tions of the forest resource in the redwood region of California. The region has had to depend upon the Division of Forestry of the University of California to make bread studies concerning the timber growing possibilities. However, the Division is handi- capped in this because it must spread its investigative work into the other timbered areas of the state. As a result, a gap exists in the present work done by the Division. Whereas they have in- vestigated the crop producing power of the area in regard to second growth timber they have not been able to carry on studies to deter- mine if certain of the cut-over lands are not better adapted to some other use. It is the ultimate purpose of this study to close this gap by showing what the redwood cut-over lands are being used for at present and to determine if the uses, other than timber growing, are successful. The study, therefony is offered not as a solution with conclusions that will solve any of the problems: it is offered for what it is worth; facts bearing on the formulation of a sound forest policy. It is submitted with the hope that the information compiled will aid some future investigator on some specific problem in the redwood region. The writer wishes to take this opportunity of expressing his appreciation to the persons who have given of their time and knowledge in order to make this study possible. It is not possible to mention all of these to whom the writer is indebted but it is hoped that if any of the persons who contributed information do happen to read this thesis, they will realize that the writer is in their debt. However, the author wishes to express his thanks to Professor W. Mulford and Professor M. E. Kreuger for their aid and suggestions and to Professors A. W. Sampson and H. E. Malmsten for their aid in regard to the grazing work. CHAPTER I. Introduction. 0... The cut-over situation in the United States, and especially in the Pacific Coast states, is rapidly becoming a problem of impor— tance. Each year thousands of acres of virgin timberland, in inac- cessible parts of the country, of a mountainous character, and with a low soil fertility for agricultural crops, are cut—over. Their value before cutting is chiefly dependent upon the timber stand, and when the timber is cut the land is rendered practically worth- less. However, this is not true of all the cut—over areas as there are some types, especially thoBe lying along rivers and streams, that have agricultural value. But, due to the logging operators having entered the most accessible areas first, which lay along the rivers and the streams, and cutting them out, the areas now being logged are more inaccessible and less inviting to the agri- culturist. Despite the lack of soil fertility and the inaccessible character of the country there are many persons who advocate the use of the land for agriculture or grazing. Mention of this use 8 is repeatedly found in current literature, although not to the extent that it formerly appeared. Opinion on this use is diversified and in large part this diversity of opinion is caused by the factors which are operating to mold the thoughts of the different schools of opinion. It is safe to say, judging from the past history of cut-over areas, that much of the land that is disposed of for agri- cultural purposes is not fit for such use, and herein lies the problem. Who can safely forecast or see the possibilities that this land may have in the future? With increasing population there is a press for increasing source of materials and a conse- quent demand for farm produce. Also along with this increase in the population comes better transportation facilities enabling the agriculturist to get his product to the market in quicker and cheaper fashion. Factors such as the above may now hold back the region but the future may bring about changes that will overcome the obstacles. A study of present agriculture will act as an index to show what difficulties are present and will also give a basis upon which to work for the future. Investigations and research work done on this subject in relation to the redwood region are meager. One bulletin, No. 350 of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of California by Professor W. T. Clarke has been published to date. This bulletin deals with the agricultural and grazing possibilities, with a description of the redwood region as to climate, rainfall, topography, and crops raised. Professor Clarke presents the evi— dence that agriculture is not successful to a great extent, and mentions the pessibility of timber-growing as being the best use of the land. Other sources of information on this subject are scattered, and deal with the timber situation rather than with the agricultural or grazing side. The object of this study is to determine the present status of agriculture, grazing, and timber-growing in the redwood belt. The study includes the gathering of data for the compila~ tion of a redwood cut-over land map, ascertaining the present status of agriculture on these lands, the possibilities of gra- zing stock upon it, and to determine whether or not the land is best suited to the growing of timber. In other words the study is attempting to ascertain the extent of the land cut-over, what it is now producing, and what it is capable of producing. Moron over, it is also the aim to collect all the scattered infbrmation concerning the redwood region in one place for convenience and later investigation work. The study has been carried on during the fall of 1925 and the spring of 1926, with Berkeley as headquarters. Trips to the redwood region were made by machine and by train, a total of 2073 miles being covered by auto travel alone. By using a machine the writer was able to get into the back country where markets are far distant and transportation agencies are not of the first order. The survey of agricultural conditions is based on 76 individual farms visited and 20 company farms and ranches. those areas on which redwood is predominant in the stand. The botanical range of redwood is much greater than is indicated by this map. The data for the virgin timberland area was obtained from the same sources as the cut-over data. In order to check the work done and the information obtained a search for other maps on the same subject was made. Two such maps were found, a cut-over map being found in a report made by Mr. Eflw. N. Munnsl then forest examiner for the United States Forest Service, and a virgin timber area map in the "Save the Redwoods" League Statement for 1925-26.2 The cut-over map found in the above report was com- pared with the map made in this study and noticeable discrepancies were found. From the writer's observations in the region the map included with the report is in error in many instances, and therefore cannot be considered accurate. On the other hand, the map included with this study is compiled from the most accurate information obtainable and therefore is more nearly correct than the above-mentioned map. 1. p. 96 2. p. 12 The second map is a small scale photograph showing the extent of the virgin redwood timber area. In order to make a direct comparison a photograph of the map was made, and a slide prepared. With the aid of a projection lantern the slide was enlarged to the size of the tracing and the natural features were made to coincide. Thus a direct comparison was made and the re- sults obtained were satisfactory, in fact, the map with this study was found to be conservative. The map, included with the thesis, is a photographic reproduction of the original. The original map is plotted on a scale of one inch equals four miles, making the map have a length of five feet, and a width of two feet. Obviously this could not be included with the thesis and a photographic reproduction was made necessary. CHAPTER III. 'Description of the Redwood Region. The redwood region as taken in this study consists of the four north-coast counties of Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte in the State of California. The true redwood belt extends further to the south including the counties of Marin, San mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey. However, due to the limited time that could be devoted to this study no attention was paid to any of the region south of the Russian river in Sonoma county. The redwoodsgrow on the west side of the Coast Range mountains, which run parallel to the coast throughout the entire belt. It is a well watered region, the country being interlaced with small streams that flow into larger streams which assume large proportions in the winter and in the summer are slow-moving shallow streams. With such a stream development goes hand in hand small and large valleys with fertile benches along the courses of the rivers. The topography of the region varies from sloping hills to that of steep mountains, reaching an altitude of two to three thousand feet in the northern part of the range. Along with the diversified topography there is a great diversity of soils, the redwood seeming to thrive on any type of soil. Pro- fessor Clark notes that the condition of the diverse soil types is one that presents and imposes a serious handicap to a really remunerative agriculture on these lands. Rainfall usually begins in October, sometimes earlier, and continues on into April and May. The amount of rainfall re- ceived varies throughout the region, ranging from forty to seventy inches. Professor Clark states "that while the rainfall in the redwood belt is exceedingly heavy and a plentiful supply of moisture finds its way into the soil, nevertheless because of the exceedingly hot, drying weather of summer the upper foot or two of soil soon becomes parched and dry. The four counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, and Sonoma are made up of 6,200,220 acres of land.1 The timbered belt extends in an unbroken line from the Oregon border for a length of approximately 350 miles south and with an average width of 15 miles. The exact status of the cut-over situation can be seen by consulting the redwood cut-over map from which the 3. p. 169 3. P0 170 10 p. 110 -10- following tables have been made. The acreage figures were ob— tained by assuming each section was uniform throughout and con- tained 640 acres. The cut-over and timbered areas were plani- metered to determine the acreage contained in each. The acreage of redwood cut-veer land as compiled from the map, by counties, is as follows: TABLE I. Note: Acreages are to January 1, 1925. COUNTY ACREAGE OF CUT-OVER LAND. Del Norte 17,365 Humboldt 147,272 Mendocino 202,015 Sonoma 61,158 TOTAL 427,810 The following table gives the cut-over aoreages for the same counties for 1921. TABLE II. COUNTY ACREAGE OF CUT-OVER LAND. Del Norte 9,600 Humboldt 141,340 Mendocino 188,560 Sonoma 91,590 TOTAL 431,090 In Do 108 -11- Table III is a comparison table with the soreages as given in Table II brought up to date. The information for bringing the 1921 figures up to 1925 was obtained from the records of the lumber companies operating in the region. TABLE III. COMPARISON TABLE BETWEEN FIGURES 0F TABLE I AND TABLE II WITH FIGURES 0F TABLE II BROUGHT UP TO 1925. COUNTY ACREAGE OF CUT-OVER LAND Thesis Map Senate Report Del Norte 17,565 16,700 Humboldt 147,272 156,340 Mendocino 202,015 203,560 Sonoma 61,158 91,590 TOTAL 427,810 468,190 The following table has been made up to show the percentage difference between the figures as given for each county referred to the acreage figures of Table I. -12.. TABLE IV. PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE OF CUT-OVER ACREAGE. COUNTY PER-CENT DIFFERENCE Del Norte -5 .3 Humboldt +6.2 Mendocino <+O.7 Sonoma +49.7 The difference between the two totals amounts to 40,3d0 acres or a percentage difference of 9.4 per-cent. As can be seen from Table III and from Table IV, 30,432 acres or 49.7 per-cent of this difference is localized in one county: Sonoma. As explained previously no other source of information than the lumbermen who logged over the areas could be found. Since the information plotted on the map for Sonoma county is as accurate as could be obtained the writer considers the cut-over acreage as given in Table III is too high. To state how much too high is not possible since it is not known whether the figure as given considers land other than redwood land cut-over. From the facts at hand, however, it can be seen that the redwood cut-over acreages for Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties are -14- By adding the cut-over acreage and the virgin timber areas as obtained from the map the original timbered stand is found to be 1,269,061 acres. By dividing the cut-over acreage by the original timber stand it is found that 55.7 per-cent of the redwood timber land has been cut-over, leaving 66.3 per-cent of the original stand. The object in presenting the above figures is to show the extent of the devastation and that there is sufficient acreage of cut-over land to warrant some thought upon its future use. Moreouer, accurate figures have been lacking and it is the belief of the writer that the present study has submitted figures which are accurate, although they are subject to minor changes. -17- clearing under this sytem looks much worse after the stumps have been thrown out of the ground than it did before. The cost of piling the scattered material is also another objection, as a great amount of timgygabor has to be spent in gathering the material into piles. This cost amounts approximately to one— sixth of the total cost in clearing the area. A variation of the above method is that in which the aim is not to throw the stump out of the ground but to so shatter the wood and loosen the soil around the base of the stump so that the stump will dry out in place and then fire can be set. This eliminates the extra cost of gathering the material into piles, thus reducing the total cost. The cost of using this method varies with the number and size of the stumps. The average cost amounts to $400. StumE—Pulling. This method involves the construction or purchase of a stump-puller, a number of which are sold on the market ranging from $200 to $350 in price. Stump-pulling is not a general prac- tice because the stump—puller must be large in size and therefore unwieldy in character in order to handle the large stumps found in the redwood region. When a stump puller is used it is generally -20- of the land in this sytem. The only item of cost that enters is that of the labor of the farmer in preparing the stump for burning. The disadvantage of the system, though, is that a period of years must elapse before the stump will be burned thoroughly. This period of time varies from fifteen to twenty years and in some cases the stumps have not been destroyed after twenty years. An advantage of the method is that the land between the stumps can be used while the burning operation is going on. In all the other systems the land is idle for some time, though only for a short thme in the powder and stump-pulling method. The cost of the method varies from $25 to $50, according to the time it takes to burn the stump. "Johnson Method". Mr. Johnson of Humboldt county devised a saw that will out the stumps at the base or two to three inches beneath the ground level. This machine has been used on clearing of stump- land and has beenwrery satisfactory. The main advantage of clearing the upper portion of the stump is that it greatly TABLE SHOWING COST OF DIFFERENT METHODS OF STUMP EXTRACTION. METHOD COST LENGTH OF TIME. Powder $400-SOO 3-4 years Powder and stump- pulling , $400-5OO immediately Stump-pulling $100~200 immediately Burning $25-50 15-20 years "Johnson" method $50-75 .......... Stump stove ------------------ The above table indicates the chief problem in the used of redwood cut-over lands. The cost of clearing the land is prohibitive in many instances, and when the land has been cleared a new value has been created which is not tangible in the market. Therefore some cheap and easy method of clearing must be devised before any thought is given to using the land for agriculture. -23- CHAPTER V. Status of Agriculture on the Redwood Cut—over The status of agriculture on the cut-over lands is one difficult to define. The aim of the study at the outset was to attempt to show whether agriculture was successful or not. This aim had to be abandonedzflmost immediately because of the fact that the information could be obtained only from the farmers. They were the logical persons to consult as to the success of agriculture but when they will not or cannot give the information required very little headway can be made. Fortunately, however, the information obtained will enable the study to present a picture of the conditions as found in the fall of 1925. The following discussion, therefore, is presented with the aim of showing the position of the farmer, what type of land appears best suited to agriculture, what factors are retarding the growth of agriculture, and the chauufier of person who seems best fitted to farm the cut-over lands. The survey made in the fall of 1925 includes 76 indi- vidual farms having a total acreage of 12, 969 acres. Besides the above 76 farms there are 20 company farms and ranches that -24- were also visited which have a total of 3500 acres. First, the amount of cut-over land that is being used for agricultural purposes was sought. Due to lack of information it has been necessary to estimate the amount of land thus used. This has been done by compiling the acreage of cut—over lands owned by the lumber companies, held by them for the growing of timber, and subtracting from this figure the total amount of cut-over land. The estimate is made up of three classes, land held for the growing of timber, land in second growth and being used for recreational purposes, and land cut-over by the tie and shingle operators. The acreage comprised in each class is as follows. Class 1. 332,720 acres Class 2. 28,000 acres Class 5. 12,000 acres Total 572,700 acres This means that 372,700 acres of the land cut—over is not being used for agricultural purposes. By substracting the above amount from the total land cut-over, as determined in Chapter III, the land in agricultural use is found to be 55,000 acres. Mr. D. T. Mason roughly estimates that the amount -25- of cut-over land under cultivation is 90,000 acres? Taking the estimate of 55,000 acres in agricultural use as being approximate- ly correct the percentage of the area covered by the survey is 23.6 per-cent. Adding in the amount of land under cultivation by the lumber companies the survey covers 29.9 per-cent of the above acreage. Of the 12,969 acres in farms covered by the survey only 752.5 acres or 5.8 per-cent of the land has been cleared. More- over, of the same 12,969 acres but 1,342 acres or 10.3 per-cent has been cultivated, that is, in crops or orchard. The following table is included to compare the counties as to amount of land cleared and amount of land cultivated. TABLE VII SHOWING AMOUNT OF LAND CLEARED AND AMOUNT OF LAND CULTIVATED. COUNTY TOTAL CLEARED CULTIVATED % 7o ACREAGE 0151112110 CULTIVATED Humboldt 3,637 224.0 518 .5 6 .1 14 .2 Mendocino 5,575 176 .5 505 .5 5 .1 9 .0 Sonoma 3 ,757 552 .o 520 .o 9 .4 8 .5 TOTAL 12 , 969 752 .5 1,342 .o 5 .8 10.3 5- P0 11 -25- The above table does not take into consideration the land used for grazing purposes. Nearly all of the farms surveyed graze a few dairy cows, with a recent tendency for grazing sheep, especially in Mendocino county. Of the remaining 11,627 acres of land, that is, land not under cultivation, it was found that 6,799 acres were used for grazing. The remaining 4,828 acres of land are in second-growth timber, including a very small acreage of virgin growth. The second growth and virgin timber areas are unsuited in the main to agricultural or grazing use because of the density of the stands. In the majority of instances the farmers are holding the second—growth timber for thnberland in- vestment purposes and those owning virgin timber are either holding the timber for sale or are converting the timber into ties or grape stakes. A wide range of agricultural crops are raised. Orchards are very successful in some parts of the region. Apples and pears seem to do the best of all the fruits. The menace of the oak-root fungus (Armillaria sp.) has been mentioned as being one of the great drawbacks to orchard trees in this region.5 The writer questioned all the farmers having orchards to find out if this 3. p. 178. -27- disease was damaging their trees. A great many of the farmers had no idea of what the disease was or what it did and were therefore incapable of telling whether it was present or not. However all of them reported that their crops were doing well and seemed satisfied with the yields obtained. The disease is present in the region nevertheless because reports of the presence of the disease are made occasionally to the authorities. Pro- fessor Clarke points out the meance of the disease and states that no effective means of control have as yet.been found. Besides the above-mentioned disease there are many others, including pear scab, and apple mildew.3 Also there are numerous rodents which do mechanical injury to the tree. The rodents: brush rabbits, squirrels, and mice, are numeous throughout the region and they are a serious problem not only from the agri- cultural viewpoint but also from the reforestation standpoint as they destroy the young planted trees. Methods of poisoning the animals have been attempted but have not been successful? Thus with the diseases mentioned above and the damage caused by the rodents, besides many other causes for damage, it can be seen 3- pa 178-179. that the orchards in this region are subject to much the same damage as the farms in other localities. The above are not under the control of man, at least not at present, but there is one important factor holding back the development of orchards which can be controlled by man. This relates to the care and attention of the orchards. Orchard after orchard was noted where the ground had not been cultivated for years. A thick stand of grass and brush has been allowed to grow on the ground, thereby diminishing the amount of nourishment necessary for the growth of the trees. As a result, the trees are scrubby in size and produce an apple which is small and flavorless. On the other hand, where the orchards have been cultivated the trees are in good condition and bear large and delicious fruits. As an example of what apples can do when given proper care and attention the orchard of the Glen Blair Lumber Company is cited. Twenty acres of cut-over land is planted out to trees, the trees being planted between the stumps. The com~ pany hires an orchardman to tend to the cultivating of the area, picking the crop and transporting it to market. This orchard is now thirteen years old and produces 2000 to 3000 boxes of apples per season, which does not include the culls. The apples -29- are marketed in Fort Bragg to local people and to the lumber companies in the vicinity. San Francisco also absorbs from 400 to 500 boxes per season. The average price received for the apples last fall was $1.25 per box. The purpose of citing the above example was to demon- strate what can be done with fruit trees if proper attention is given to them. There are many other orchards of the same type in the region but it appears that the only worth-while and pro- ducing orchards are those of the lumber companies. Berries, potatoes, corn, and all the ordinary vegetables are grown successfully. Where level areas are found the legumes are found to produce good crops, especially on the bottomlands of the numerous streams and rivers. Among the most successful of the legumes are alfalfa, red clover, white Dutch clover, and purple vetch.5 Alfalfa gives an average yield of five tons per acre in the region. The value of the redwood cut-over farms varies from $2.50 an acre to $800 an acre with an average of $300 to $400 an acre. The value of the land varies due to topography, location, markets, and transportation. The lands valued at from $400 to -30- $800 an acre are bottomlands with deep alluvial fertile soil, relativdyclose to the market, and with good means of transporta- tion. The farms valued at less than $400 an acre are lacking in one or more of the above factors and are valued accordingly. Re- mote and inaccessible areas are valued at $2.50 an acre, while those lacking good transportation, or a close market, or are located on side-hills or ridge tops are valued at $2.50 to $100 an acre. Transportation, perhaps, plays the chief part in the determination of value. Perishable produce cannot be trans— ported out of the region quickly enough to get it to market before spoiling. With other products their bulk mitigates against them as the roads are narrow and steep which means that trans- portation charges are high, making shipment out of the region almost impossible. Moreover there is only one railroad serving the entire region, which makes the farmers almost dependent upon auto or boat transportation. But where there is good trans- portation there is a successful agriculture. Possibly this is due to the fact that the railroads and the roads follow the rivers, along which the fertile bottomlands suited for agriculture are found. -51- Markets, a second influencing factor of value, are few. In Humboldt county the principal markets are Eureka and Scotia. In Mendocino county there is only one market of consequence, Fort Bragg. Because of the poor transportation facilities, already mentioned, the farmer has to depend upon local markets instead of being able to ship his produce into the Bay centers. Where there is a going lumber operation the farmer, who is nearby can dispose of his produce readily and at a good price, but when the mill shut ‘down or is cut out the market is destroyed. The question of mar- kets in this region is a serious one, because there are only a very few places that can be regarded as towns. The influence of topography on agriculture is well- known. Mr. D. T. Mason has figured that slopes over 20 per-cant should not be considered as agricultural land? F. B. Roth, on the other hand, has laid down the rule that slopes over 5 per-cent should not be considered as agricultural? In the absence of topo— graphic maps of the redwood region except in certain isolated in- stances the average gradient or slope throughout the region cannot be determined. However, the writer, through two years of experience 5. pa 66 60 pa 129 with two lumber companies in the region on topographic mapping work estimates that the average slope per-cent is between 50 per-cent and 40 per-cent. From this average it can be seen that the majority of the redwood land is not suitable to agriculture from the standpoint of topography. Since, as has been stated heretofore, the accessible bottomlands have been cut-over first, the remaining virgin timberland in the main contains only a very small per-cent of land below a slope of 20 per-cent. 0f the 55,000 acres considered as being in agricultural use it is estimated that 50 per-cent have a slope per-cent of less than 20 per-cent. Moreover, of the 27,500 acres having a slope under 20 per-cent only a very small percentage has been plowed. This is occasioned by the presence of the stumps which makes plowing a very difficult matter. It is a difficult task to plow the bottomlands when the stumps are present and it is therefore only in rare instances uhat one can find a hillside with the sod turned under. Successful agriculture is hard to measure. The only method applicable in this study has been to determine if the farms are self-supporting. Self-supporting has been regarded as a farm on which the owner has expended all his time and energy without the aid of outside compensation. In contrast to self—supporting there are the farms which are carried on as a side—line, that is, the owner works in the woods and does not depend on the farm as a means of making his livelihood. The owner is provided with a home and some produce which is raised by him. At the bottom of the scale there are the farms which produce nothing or are abandoned. These farms have at one time been cultivated but the owner has either stopped raising any crops or has abandoned the farm entirely. The following table shows the status of the farms surveyed under the above classification. TABLE VIII. STATUS OF REDWOOD CUT-OVER FARMS SURVEYED. COUNTY SELF SIDE- PRODUCE ABANDONED SUPPORTING LINE NOTHING Humboldt 21 10 2 3 Mendocino 14 7 7 1 Sonoma 9 - - 2 TOTALS 44 17 9 6 The above table shows the following percentages for each class: -34- Self-supporting 57.9 per-cent Side-line 22.4 " Produce nothing 11.8 " Abandoned 7.9 " Of the farms included in the 57.9 per-cent all of them have been farmed for at least ten years, and the majority of them have been farmed for much longer. There is a possibility that some of the farms included in the 22.4 percent will become self- supporting. If all of the farms included in this class can be- come self-supporting the percentage of self-supporting farms will be increased to approximately 80 per4cent which will cast a different aspect on the success of agriculture in the region. However, there are certain farms listed in the self- supporting class that will be relegated to the abandoned class when the present owner dies. These farms are self-supporting today because of the character of the owner. Through hard and constant work the soil has been made to produce a living under conditions which the native born American would not tolerate. The foreign born Norwegian, Finn, Swede, and German have made these cut-ever areas pay because of their inherent love of the soil. They, therefore, can make a living off of these areas which a -35- native born American would abandon within two to three years. But when the present foreign born farmers die the farm will die also. There will be no one ready to take their place, their children have become educated, and have migrated to the cities, leaving the parents to make out as best they could. Fortunately the number of farms that will be relegated into the abandoned class is not very large but it will cause a reduction of three or four per-cent in the farms now listed as self-supporting. Finally, it is now possible to list the factors which are proving to be the greatest obstacles within the region. Pro— fessor Clarke states that transportation seriously handicaps a great success in the agricultural use.3 It is certainly true that transportation plays an important part in the determination of whether agriculture will be successful or not. However, from observation of successful farms with inadequate transportation the writer believes that the first and most important drawback to a successful agriculture is the lack of a cheap and easy method of land clearing. Transportation is then placed second because of the presence of operating mills in the region which provide 3- p0 1830 -35- a local outlet for the farm produce. Thirdly, an unmentioned factor, is that of the attitude of the lumber companies toward the cut-over farmer. By buying his product at a reasonable price the lumber companies can stimulate production on the farms and also at the same time make them- selves less dependent on the valley areas of California. A num- ber of local companies in the region are supporting the farmer by buying all the produce that the farm can produce. On the other hand there are companies that are not aiding the farmer but are bringing their farm produce in by boat and rail. Thus, the farmer is forced to compete with the San Francisco market and is thereby deprived of his local market. This is a short-sighted policy to be adopted by the companies as the aim of the lumber operators should be to make themselves as self-supporting as possible. Markets are placed next due to the fact that there are a number of potential markets which can be developed by proper cooperation between the farmer and the lumber operator. Moreover, the automobile has made possible new markets for a great many of the farmers by bringing better roads. By this development many farmers who were formerly cut off from markets now have easy and -37- and quick access to them; Forest management is the next factor and its effect will be positive if the policy is adopted permanently. Sustained yield is the object of forest management and when attained it means that the danger of a fleeting agriculture will vanish because the sawmill will become a permanent institution. Thus there will be a permanent market for the farmer. A perpetual lumber operation tends to indicate a perpetual agriculture which should greatly stimulate agricultural activity in this direction. Topography is placed last because of the fact that experience has shown that when theneed arises any degree of slope can be utilized, excepting of course the very steep and rocky hillsides. With the above in mind it can be seen that agriculture on the cut-over lands is in a state of flux. There are a number of variables which are retarding the development of farming, but if these variables react in a positive manner, that—is, in a way to stimulate agriculture, it is safe to assert that agriculture on the bottomlands and the gentle slopes have a very definite place. The future, though, is not too bright but the land will -39- CHAPTER VII. Grazing Use of the Cut-Over Lands. Grazing of the cut-over areas has been practiced for many years. The underlying thought in the beginning was to put the idle lands to productive purposes. ”Since the logging opera- tions of the past were distant from the centers of production, due to lack of transportation, the grazing of the cut-over lands was resorted to. Today transportation is much improved and as a result the incentive to grazing has been removed. However, despite the removal of the transportation drawback the lumber companies still graze cattle on their cut-over lands. The motive behind this at the present is to help carry the holding charges of the land, such as taxes and protection, and to obtain an assured meat supply. How successful the grazing of the cut-over areas has been and to what extent is the question. Are the areas grazed in a manner so as to preserve the range or is it a hit-and- miss utilization? Can grazing be carried on under the practice of reforestation with protection to the young growth? These and many other questions form the basis of the following discussion. First, an understanding of the two methodsof grazing of the cut-over areas is necessary. In Humboldt county the operators usually graze their own cattle on the lands while in Mendocino county the practice is to lease the lands to respon- sible individuals. The operators in Mendocino county do not wish to have the additional burden of supervising and managing the stock- raising and accordingly lease out the privilege to individuals. In Humboldt county the operators wished to retain the privi~ loge and as a result have gone into stock-raising as a side—line to lumber production. Therefore, under both methods little attention has been paid to the range because the lumber company is interested in lumber production and the individual is in- terested in obtaining as much as possible with the least amount of expense. The first major point examined was that of the carry- ing capacity of the land, that is, the number of acres required to support one animal unit. The following lumber companies, desig— nated by numbers, were operators who furnished reliable information. Other companies also graze their cut-over lands but because of the lack of accurate information concerning them they are not considered. The following table shows the carrying capacity of redwood cut-over lands in Humboldt and Mendocino counties. TABLE SHOWING CARRYING CAPACITY. Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. COMPANY ACRES NO. OF NO. OF ACRES LOCATION CATTLE PER HEAD. I 4000 150 26.6 Mendocino II 4000 100 40.0 " III 4000 100 40.0 " Iv 8000 200 40.0 " v 12700 750 17 .0 Humboldt VI 1000 35 28 .6 " v11 2000 40 50.0 " VIII 32500 650 50.0 " IX 18000 350 51.4.. " 86200 2575-- 55.4 "" The average number of acres required to support one animal unit ie 55.4 acres, with the inner limit being 17 acres and the outer limit 51 acres. The carrying capacities found in the table differ be- cause of a number of factors, principal of which are topography, amount of reproduction on the ground,type of grasses and brush on the area, and whether or not any attention has been paid to managing the range. Topography is an important {actor in certain parts of the redwood region because the steepness of the slopes prevents any grazing on the area. One large company operating in the Eel -42- river basin estimates that only 4.7 per-cent of its total holdings in this basin are suitable for grazing purposes. Topography played an important part in the determination of this figure. Moreover the areas now being out are in the more remoted/and inaccessible portions of the redwood belt, where the steepness of the slope is making even logging a difficult engineering feat. The second important factor in carrying capacity determination is that of the amount of reproduction on the ground. The redwood reproduces by ccppice, that is, from the stump. After the area is logged the reproduction which appears will be timber of the future if given proper protection and care. Reference to Plot No. I on the next page will show the amount of sprout repro- duction that has come on an area since 1922. The reproduction on this area amounts to four per-cent of the total area. Plot No. II is seven years of age and the reproduction covers nine per—cent of the area. The above plots are typical of the redwood cut-over lands and were picked at random from a large number of plots. The Mendocino Lumber Company conducted a survey of its cut-over lands to determine the degree of stocking and found that the per-cent of the area covered by the reproduction varied from five to fifty NO. I Cz/f-OVE/z" REDWOOD PA 07 7‘0 a: (Air/m 75 NUMBER OF 577/ij fl/Vfl JP/Poz/T fifPfi’OflUCT/O/V. + if! X X‘l K #22: ¢®Q 9 @@@° BOTTOMLfl/VD ON [54 lint/5,7 (9 L J 002’ or 3:63;: ,( Q. >« xii? X X 2 ~‘ x ~ "*+ "81$?“ 0 REPEASE/vrd STU/VP «9N0 U/HMETE/E Q JNnc— “ JPRour REFRoDucr/o/V /00 F7. /3 fry/mo; 8/ JR? 01/75. per-cent, with an average of thirty per-cent. Also it was deter- mined that between the ages of twenty and thirty years the repro- duction begins to form a complete cover. At the age of fifteen years the area is of no practical value for grazing purposes due to the shading out of the forage. However, this applies only to areas in which full advantage has been given the natural repro— duction to reproduce, that is, has been protected from fire and cutting. Where cutting and burning of the second growth has been practiced the area has been kept open much longer, but due to the persistence and vitality of the redwood stumps the young growth soon covers the area with another crop of trees. Plot No. II is an instance of an area that has been out and burned repeatedly. This area was logged twenty years ago, out and burned a number of times afterward, and has since been protected for the last eight years. The sprout reproduction on the plot is seven years of age with a total of 294 sprouts. In contrast to this plot is Plot No. I which is three years of age with a total of 81 sprouts. Thus it is easily seen that the number of sprouts increases with the passing of time and the carrying capacity is reduced with each year's additional growth due to the shading out of the forage. An example of what effect the reproduction has on carrying capacity was found in Mendocino county where one company has been forced to reduce the number of cattle grazed on the cut- over land from 250 to 150 head. This has been the direct result of the reforestation policy carried on by the lumber company since 1920. The carrying capacity was formerly 16 acres per animal unit and this has now been increased to 26 acres or a 60 per- cent decrease in carrying capacity. The third influencing factor of carrying capacity is the type of grasses and brush present. The species of grasses and shrubs on the cut-over areas has not as yet been thoroughly investigated. In order to determine the plants found in this region seven sample plots were laid out on grazed cut—over areas in different sections of Humboldt county. However, the plants were in the seedling stage, no flowers being present, and iden~ tification was difficult. The following is a list of the plants that were identified and are abundant throughout the region. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Geranium Geranium viscosissimum Fire-weed Epilobium spp. Alfilaria Erodium cicutarium Plantain Plantago tweedii Burr clover Medicagc hispida ShepheniPurse Capsella bursa-pastoris Lupine Lupinus succulentus Mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium viscosium Ferns Pteridium Cudweed Gnaphalium anaphulus Mayweed Anthemis cctula Wormseed Chenopodium anthelminticum There are many other species than the above mentioned especially in the grasses. Professor Sampson of the Division d Forestry, University of California, stated to the writer that he has found a large number of grasses present. Among the most important grasses found on the cut-over areas by Professor Sampson are a number of species of Bromegrasses (Bromus), several species of Melicgrasses (Melica), a number of Bluegrasses (Poe), a large number of Fescues (Festuca), several species of Ryegrasses (Elymus), a few species of Muhlenbergia, Wild Oats (Avena fatua), Hairgrass (Aira elongate), and wheatgrass (Agrypron canimum). The most important brush species found in the region are the willows (Salix spp.) alders (Alnus spp.) thimbleberry (Rubus), huckleberry (Vaccinium), manzanita (Arctcstaphylos) elderberry (Sambucus), vine maple (Aoer), salal (Gaultheria), and blue blossom or myrtle (Ceanothus). The above list indicates that there is a large variety of grasses, weeds, and shrubs present. Among the grasses and weeds are a large number of palatable species indicating that a -49.. On the other hand, there are exceptions to the above. Several Companies in the region have attempted to perpetuate the range productivity by seeding the cut-over areas to rye and or- chard grass. This has cost the companies from $4 to $8 an acre, but the increased forage has enabled the areas to carry 25 per- cent more animals which has offset the expense of seeding. How— ever, with the present forestry practice seeding of the areas has been abandoned with a consequent reduction in the number of animals carried. The seeded areas with a south exposure would carry one animal to ten acres, and somethnes as high as eight acres. Land with a north exposure treated in the same manner requires 16-20 acres to an animal unit. Thus where proper atten- tion has been paid to the productiveness of the range the carrying capacity has been greatly increased which means a maximum pro— duction of beef. Therefore, in the absence of grazing manage- ment on the cut-over lands the range is deteriorating and is not supporting the number of animals that it is capable of. I The producing power of grazing on the cut—over areas, measured in dollars and cents, does not give much encouragement to the use. A large lumber company in Humboldt county grazed 750 cattle in 1922, with 150 head of cattle being slaughtered. -5 O- The profits received amounted to $2000 or $0.16 per acre. This gave a return of 1.6 per-cent on the investment which is much less than the same money would produce if deposited in a bank or invested in securities. Other companies grazing their cut-over areas obtain substantially the same result. In Mendocino county where the leasing system is practiced the only indicator that is'considered is the amount of money received by the lumber companies for the rental of the land. The average rental received by the operators varies from $0.09 to $0.15. Information on the profit recéyed by the leasee's could not be obtained, although the leasee's are very outspoken in the assertion that stock—raising on the cut-over lands is not profitable because of the expense of combating the sprout reproduction. From the standpoint of the lumbermen the leasing sys- tem has enabled them to obtain a certain revenue from the land which has helped carry the taxes. The taxes per acre on redwood cut-over land vary from $0.06 to $0.12 an acre per year. Thus the income from the leasing system is carrying the taxes in some instances and in others is party paying the charge. However, there are other charges which must be carried by these lands, -51... such as cost of protection, reforestation, etc., which greatly increase the cost charge per acre. Grazing is helping to pay the taxes under both methods but it appears that it cannot hope to produce sufficient revenue to support all of the expenses. The conclusion, reached then, is that from the above information it appears that grazing, when measure in money producing power, is not very productive. So far all of the discussion has been relative to cattle with no mention of sheep. The reason for the separate treatment of these two forage animals is due to the reason that the lumber companies, with the largest proportion of the grazing land in their ownership, are not grazing sheep on the cut-over lands. Moreover, development in sheep raising with respect to the out-over areas is fairly recent and is confined almost entirely to individuals. The greatest development in sheep raising was found in Mendocino and Sonoma counties. The following figures show the number of acres required to support one head. -53 .. TABLE X. SHEEP CARRYING CAPACITY OF CUT-OVER LANDS IN MENDOCINO AND SONOMA COUNTIES. ACREAGE N0. OF SHEEP NO. OF ACRES PER HEAD 1000# 1000 1.0 7000# 2500 2.8 300 100 3.0 200 50 4.0 100 50 3.3 @0 m0 4s 800 250 3.2 40 20 2.0 # includes acreage which is open land and was not timber land. The above illustrates that the number of acres re- quired per year for one head varies from three acres to five acres. Some supplementary feeding in the winter time is also necessary. The chief advantage of sheep raising, especially to the small farmer, is that it enables him to utilize his area more fully than otherwise as the sheep will browse on shrubs that cattle will not touch. Also the sheep produce a wool crop which at present market prices makes the animals yield a considerable profit. Moreover, there is a definite market for the disposal of mutton which has _given further incentive to the raising of sheep. -53- The development of this use of the land is still in its infancy and as a result no production figures could be ob- tained. However, the success of sheep raising on the cut—over areas may be judged to some extent by the recent purchase of 24,000 acres of cut-over redwood land by sheepmen for the express purpose of grazing sheep on it. This is perhaps the fore-runner of later development which may change the complexion of the cut-over problem materially. Sheep and forestry do not go hand in hand. Sheep will browse on redwood and also they trample the area to a great extent which means that there is slight chance for any seedling reproduction. For this reason, the raking of sheep does not appear to be feasible for the lumbermen under the present forestry practice. However, sheep raising for thesnall farmer is feasible and profitable judging from present market prices and tendencies. Can cattle grazing and forestry be practiced at the same time? This is a difficult question to answer because of the large number of influencing factors. It has already been shown that the grazing of cattle produces a 1.6 per-cent return on the infestment, which carries the taxes in some instances and in others partly supports the charge. Therefore, grazing of cattle does -54- not result in a loss and the question now becomes one in which the reproduction must be considered. Fortunately cattle do little or no damage to the advance reproduction but there is the possibility that they will eat or trample the small planted seedlings. However, if the cut-over areas are not grazed there will result a very heavy stand of brush or grass which will constitute a serious fire hazard. The chief advantage to be derived from grazing then is that of fire protection. Will fire cause greater damage than cattle? The answer to this question may be answered to some ex- tent by the policy of the lumber companies in expending $0.02 per acre for fire protection. Moreover the cut-over areas have been grazed for many years and have not been damaged by the cattle, the damage being man—made in order to increase the forage for the cattle. Therefore it appears that cattle cause less damage than fire. Assuming this to be true it should be the policy of the lumber companies to graze the cut-over lands in order to lessen the fire hazard. Grazing of the cut-over lands, however, is limited in period because at the age of fifteen years the stands become dense and the forage is shaded out. Moreover there is the danger -55— that the cattle will destroy the planted seedlings and therefore the area should be protected from grazing for a limited period. This period is determined by the length of tine it takes the seedlings to get a foothold in the soil, which usually requires from three to five years. The length of time that the area can be grazed then is from ten to twelve years. Practically, though, the planted areas are being grazed immediately after planting. This is because of the expense that would be necessary to fence the planted areas in order to protect them from the cattle. Therefore, grazing will be possible for the full fifteen years unless the lumber companies become convinced that the practice is resulting in the destruction of the planted seedlings. The question then revolves upon the amount ogland under the age of fifteen years. Each year certain areas are becoming strict forest land, that is produce no forage of value, but on the other hand each year also sees virgin timber areas becoming cut-over land. Thus there is always open areas available into which the cattle can be moved and allowed to graze. The writer has termed this interval in which the land can be grazed as the "grazing rotation". Present forestry practice makes the above recommendation visionary but the future will undoubtedly -57- CHAPTER VIII. The Practice of Forestry on the Redwood Cut-over lends. Agriculture and grazing use have been discussed in the previous pages. The next use, timber production, is the most hmportant of all. The land that is now being used for other than timber production is potential timberland. The question then hinges on the point as to whether the timber use, the agri- cultural use, or the grazing use is the most productive. However, before this question can be taken up it is first necessary to show what second growth timber will produce. The Division of Forestry of the University of Califor- nia made a study of the yield of second-growth timber on the cut- over areas at different ages in 1922.8 This study was conducted at the request of lumber operators who were becoming interested in the cut-over land problem and wanted to ascertain what the second-growth would produce. The results obtained in the study are as follows: s. p. 424-467. -58.. NORMAL YIELDS FOR REDWOOD8 SITE I. AGE BOARD FEET AVERAGE ANNUAL VOLUME PER ACRE GROWTH 20 16400 820 30 50700 1690 40 85300 2130 50 116000 2320 60 139000 2310 SITE II. 20 7400 370 30 37500 1250 40 68000 1700 50 94900 1900 60 115000 1920 SITE III. 20 0.0... 0.0... 30 26500 880 40 53100 1330 50 76300 1530 60 93000 1550 The above results were of such a nature that the lumber companies entered on the practice of forestry in earnest. It was conclusively proven that redwood Ias perhaps the fastest growing tree native to the American continent and on Site II 8. p. 428-430. -5 9- at the age of 50 years would yield 94,900 board feet of timber. But the question now became one of utilization, that is, what sort of lumber will this second-growth produce. Accordingly a sample plot of second-growth was run through the sawmill. The following are the per-cent of grades obtained and the approximate actual value of each grade at the present time. However it must be remembered that the grades so obtained are influenced by a thinning on this plot made some twenty years ago. GRADE % OBTAINED VALUE Clear 12.0 $48.00 per M. Extra March 5.0 27.50 " “ Construction 75.0 17.00 " " No. 3 5.0 9.00 " " Shop 5.0 25 .00 I! II From the above table it can be seen that 78 per-cent of the lumber produced was of a low quality and accordingly has a low value. Assuming a 50 year old stand of Site III second- growth under forest management and a stocking of 0.7, the following volumes of each grade would be obtained basing the percentages upon those as given in the above table. ~60- Clear 6408 board feet. Extra March 2761 " " Construction 38989 " " No. 3 2671 " " Shop 2671 " “ Total m TU M I. The following will be the money return based on the prices as quoted: Clear $ 307.63 Extra March 73.45 Construction 662.81 N09 30 73045 Shop 73.45 Total $1190.79 With the following conditions the return that may be received can be figured Rotation 50 years Taxes per year $0.10 Protection per year 0.02 Maintenance per year 0.01 Rent ($6 at 4% per year) 0.24 lfififi7 Compounding the above expense at four per-cent for fifty years the total amounts to $56 .43. The cast of logging and milling is approximately $15 per thousand feet today. Assuming the same cost in the future the logging expense incurred will be $801.15. The two items of expense total to $857.58. Subtracting the total expense from -51- the revenue ($1190.79) the profit over and above a return of four per-cent on the money expended is $342.21. The above computation is for the case where no planting is necessary. The extra cost of planting the area is approximately $10 an acre and this amount compounded at four per-cent for fifty years brings the cast due to planting to $71.07. The total ex- pense now becomes $928.65 which when subtracted from the revenue yields a profit of $262.14 over and above a return of four per- cent on the money invested. However, it must be remembered that the above compu- tations are made on the basis of a much closer utilization of the timber than at present. Also the value per thousand feet is the value of the present and all indications point to a market in- crease in the future especially since the product is in the class of a vanishing resource. Income producing power of the individual farms could not be obtained. But since the farm crop income can be measure by the rental value of the farms and this indicator being obtainable it has been used.6 The rental value of the cut-over farms in the redwood region varies from $5.00 an acre to $25.00 an acre. The 6. p. 137 -62- average rental received, weighted according to size, is $16.00 an acre per year. Figuring on a return of four per-cent on the investment the value of the land to bring this return must be $400. At this rate of interest the money invested in the farm is producing the same amount it would produce if deposited in a bank. Therefore, if the land is worth less than $400 and it is producing $16 rent per acre per year it is bringing in a return over and above four per-cent. However, the farms that are bringing in a return of $16 per acre per year are farms that are valued at $400 or more. The farms renting at greater than the average rental value were valued at from $100 to $200 higher. Moreover the farms falling in the class that are rented above $16 per acre per year are few compared with the number renting below $16. Moreover the above rental value is an average which takes into consideration only the best suited agricultural lands because renting of the poorer lands for agriculture is not possible because of their low producing value. Since the example for timber Producing power under forest management is on Site III, or land suited only for timber production, and which shows a profit over and above a four per-cent return, the return for Site I and Site II will be accordingly greater because of the larger yield. The conclusion reached is that whereas the figures given for the productive power of second—growth redwood tends to indicate that there may be a profit returned over and above a four per-cent return on the investment the same does not appear to be true with agricultural land. It thus appears that timber growing, from the financial standpoint, is a better utilization of the soil than agriculture and accordingly much of the land now used for agriculture should be put to timber producing purposes. Professor Clarke has reached somewhat the same conclusion in a statement "Further there seems to be no doubt that the splendid heritage of our redwood forests should remain, through refores- tation, an asset to the state not only financially but in grandeur and beauty."3 3. p0 1660 -64- CHAPTER IX. CONCLUSION. As stated in the foreword the study is simply a compilation of facts not yet compiled in the region. Certain conclusions on uses of the land have been drawn in relation to the timber producing power of the land. No definite conclusion can be drawn as to the ultimate use of the land because that involves a knowledge of future economic conditions which are not ascertainable. However, judging from present standards and the data at hand it appears that the best and most productive use of the cut-over lands lies in timber production. Nature has endowed the redwood with characteristics not common to other species, fast growing, etc., and for this reason and many others mentioned in the study the writer believes that the land should be kept in timber until that period arrives when the land will produce as profitable a return in other uses as the timber use will produce. 8. Bruce ,Donald May 1923. Preliminary Yield Tables for Second-Growth Redwood. Calif. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 361: 425-467. 5 fig. 9 tables. 0:4 _ ~C>§L3U I rqza‘azumfur 5:...) 9400 C! Nib 4 {fl‘xk 3 pm :«ILZOJ Lgau Doc’s—UK ‘wNn. :Kl< ORCHARD which has not been given proper attention. Note scrubby growth of trees. ORCHARD which has been given attention Note growth of trees and condition. Grazing on cut-over land. Note sparsity of grasses. Area on which cattle are allowed to graze constantly. Reforestation nursery of the Union Lumber Company Fort Bragg, California.