TREES OF MT. RAINIER NAT'L PARK

Probably the first feature of interest which catches the eye of the visitor is the magnificent stand of timber that clothes the lower slopes of "The Mountain". And no wonder! It is representative of the timber of the Pacific Northwest, a region famed far and wide as the greatest timber region in the world. Our trees are not of the greatest diameter, nor do they claim the record in height but they strike a happy medium in these two factors which is enhanced by a density of stand that is probably unrivaled by any similar sized trees anywhere in the world. Here we find great Douglas Firs, Hemlocks and Western Red Cedars up to ten feet in diameter and in some cases over 250 feet tall, growing so close together that their branches interlace far overhead to form an evergreen canopy that serves as an almost impregnable barrier to even the brightest sun's rays. For approximately two thirds of their height these trees are clean and barren of limbs and in their symetrical form one can easily visualize the stately pillars of some ancient temple.

The accompanying sketches illustrate the character of the cones which serve as the principle means of identification. That of the Douglas Fir, our best known species, is distinctive in that it has three cornered bracts protruding from between the cone scales while the Western Hemlock produces numerous, tiny cones about three quarters of an inch long. The Western Red Cedar has a historic background. Its lumber is straight grained and easily split so that the early settlers in this region found it adapted to a variety of uses. The walls of their cabins were of the logs of the cedar while shingles for their roof and puncheon for their floors were split from this lumber. They were thus spared the labor of hewing such material as the settlers in the eastern states were forced to do during an earlier period in the history of our country. However neither this tree nor the Alaska Cedar are true cedars. They are known in botanical circles as Thuya plicata and Chamoecyparis nootkatensis respectively. Here they answer to either their common or scientific name and so you may take your choice.

These are all cone bearing trees -- our forests here may be considered as being almost wholly of that type. The "hardwoods" or "broad leaved" trees -- that is those which lose their leaves in the fall -- are of minor importance. There are only a few species of this latter type here. Most important are the alder, cottonwood and maple which lend a touch of bright green in the spring and a dash of autumnal brilliance in the fall. As a matter of fact there are but twenty species of trees in the Park -- and yet it is regarded as being representative of the finest stands of timber on earth. To see it is convincing proof of this fact.

THE WATER STRIDER

Everyone knows the Water Striders -- those bugs with the long legs that dart here and there about the surface of pools and on the streams wherever the waters are not to boisterous. A small, land locked pool on the Nisqually River Bar contained several of these well known bugs -- to call them bugs instead of insects is not incorrect for they belong to the insect order that may be correctly known as such. A sudden shove of their long legs would send them gliding over the surface for a few inches, probably seeking some unwary midge or small aquatic insect. No doubt you have seen them in the streams near your home. Look for them and if you find them call them by their pet name -- Hygrotrochus remigus -- if you can pronounce it.

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