Boker Boosts Yolo County Redwood

Walter Baker, \\roodland Lumber Company, Woodland, Yolo County, California, now claims that neck of the woods to be Redu'ood-gror'ving territory. And he proves his claim by a picture and story that recently ap;ieared in the local paper, the Woodland Democrat. This article proves, according to Mr. Baker, that "what grows anywhere, grows everyu'here in Yolo County."

The storv itself is a signed article by one Patricia Sikes. And it ain't a bad job of writin' (if you'll excuse the ain't). Accorcling to this story Mr. and Mrs. Luther DuBois, of Woodland, obtained a three-inch-tall seedling from Dr. Ralph Chaney. head of the paleontology department of the University of California, at Berkeley. This was in 1950. They planted the tiny tree on the iau'n in front of the high school agricultural building in Woodland.

The little tree $'as planted scientifically, alayer of gravel, then a layer of loam over the gravel, and then layers of Redu,oocl leaf loam brought from the coast Redwood forests. For tl.re first vear a constant drip of water rt'as kept on the plant.

Why all the fuss ? Because this is one of the most precious of trees. It is a Darvn Redwood, true name metasequoia' Norv to quote direct from the story: "30 or 40 million years ago," according to a published report by Dr. Chaney entitled 'Redrvoods of the Past,' the climate in the Western States had grown sufifrciently temperate to eliminate most of the tropical trees lr,hich had earlier grovl'n here. Replacing these, the Dau'n Redwoods moved dorn'n from the North. Scientists have since been able to reconstruct a forest unlike any now living." Chaney tvrites, 'a forest in which Dau'n Redu'oocls. like those now living in China, were mingled s'ith trees such as the Redrvoods of California.'

"The most spectacular of the remains of those fossil Redlvoods may be seen in the Petrified Forest of Sonoma County, California, 15 miles east of Santa Rosa. Here giant logs, buried in the rock, have long since changed to stone. Of tn'o facts the scientists are certain : the Dawn Redwoods have disappeared from tl.re n'hole of the earth except in several secluded counties in Central China. And the

Coast Redwoods are confrned to the borders of California and Oregon. They have not, as yet, found out why."

Then the story goes on to tell hou', in 1944, Chinese scientists reported finding Darvn Redwoods in the interior of their country. Dr. Chaney and Dr. Milton Silverman, together made a terrific trip into China, and there located and described the last earthly stands of the Darvn Redwoods. Seedlings lvere brought back to the United States and given some distribution, and one of them is now grorving in front of the high school at Woodland. From the height of 3 inches when they got it, the tree is now 12 feet tall, and a strong, vigorous plant. It is a deciduous tree, shedding its leaves in rvinter.

There it stands, and promises to become a big, hne tree. And remember, it is one of the oldest things on earth, part of a family that has lived 3O to 40 million years.

A bouquet to Walter Baker for sending the story to THE CALIFORNIA I-UI\{BER I\{ERCHANT.

Plywood Plont For Lyons, Oregon

The M and M Wood Working Con.rpany announces that its recently finished green veneer plant at Lyons, Oregon, rn'il1 be converted at once into a plyrvood plant to produce 75 million feet a year. The nerv plant 'n'ill cost about $1.500.c00.

Buildin$ Codes Consultqnt

Washington, D.C.-Norman H. Reece, 32. former staff architect from the National Academy of Sciences, has been appointed Northeastern building codes consultant for the National Lumber Manufacturers Association.

Mr. Reece succeeds Frank H. Alcott, NI-MA building codes consultant and structural engineer for 17 years, rvho died last l\{arch. His headquarters will be in Nerv York City.

Scott B. Zachary, vice-president Monarch l-umlter Company of Southern California, Inc., returned to I.os Angeles last month following an extended business trip to the company mills located at Gold Beach, Oregon.