Wilderness
Area Proposed
An expansion of the Sky Lakes Limited area to more
than 103,000 acres, and a redesignation of it as a Wilder
ness area has been proposed by the Federation of Western
Outdoor clubs and the Oregon Wildlife Federation.
The picture to the left shows part of the northern
portion of the Limited area, from near the summit of
Devils Peak, looking in a north northwesterly direction
In the middle distance at the right is the upper
portion of the gorge of the Middle Fork of the Rogue
river, with Boston Bluff above it. In the foreground is
part of the Seven Lakes basin, with Middle lake and
North lake showing. South lake and Cliff lake are out
of sight behind trees in the foreground Alta is off to
the left and Grass lake is off to the right.
Lake Ivern. just to the left of Boston Bluff, is hidden
bv trees.
The map to the right indicates the region proposed
for inclusion in the Wilderness area. The area enclosed
by the shaded line is the proposed new boundary: the
area enclosed bv the heavy broken line is the bo inula rv
of the existing limited area.
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SECTION B MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY. OCTOBER 7. 1962 PAGES I to u ffpf, Jf ; 7" OiJl -'IJ
Tree Classification
A Medford man's hobby has resulted in a study by
the U. S. Forest service to definitely define the proper
classification of the noble and Shasta red firs in the
Rogue River National forest.
The hobby of Eugene L. Parker, 2326 Sunnyview
lane, has taken him into the forests in the Rogue valley
where he studied the various species of trees. The similar
characteristics of these two species of fir-noble and
Shasta red-were noted by Parker.
Thinking that the identification of the two species in
the national forest overlapped, Parker contacted local
forestry officials who also became interested. .
Earlier this year, Dr. Elbert L. Little, Jr., Washing
ton, D. C, dendrnlogist with the U. S. forest service,
visited the Rogue River National forest, and with Parker
and local forestry officials collected specimens and
cones for study of the two fir species for common and
different characteristics
Recently, Dr. Little suggested to local forestry offi
cials that a study of the wood properties and wood
anatomy of the trees be made to definitely define the
proper classification.
In his letter Dr. Little recommended thai five ques
tions be answered. These concern whether the woods of
noble and Shasta red fir are sufficiently different in
wood anatomy for separate identification and whether
this difference is of economic importance to justify mar
keting separately and at different prices.
Aski Geographical Line
If separate marketing is justified, Dr. Little asked
where is the geographical line of separation or the zone
of overlap in characteristics, are the woods in this zone
uniform or variable, and within the overlap area is the
wood difference enough for field identification of trees
and logs?
Local forestry officials said that wood and foliage
samples of both species have been sent to the Forest
Products laboratory in Madison, Wise, for determination.
Parker believes that the more common of the firs in
southern Oregon and the California Siskiyou mountains
is noble fir on the basis of botanical characters of the
needles and cones.
This thesis was confirmed by Dr. Little in various
letters to Parker and has stated that the name Shasta red
fir, as inclusively applied to all the of trees, is a
misnomer.
Reviewi Parker's Article
While in the valley, Dr. Little reviewed an article
written by Parker on this study. He assisted him in
arranging the material and the manuscript, "The geo
graphic overlap of noble fir and red fir," was referred
to Dr. John W. Duffield, Nisqually, Wash., editor of the
"Forest Science" magazine, who sent it to the Society of
American Foresters for publication. The magazine is a
quarterly journal of research and technical progress and
Parker's article is expected to be printed in early 1!)63.
In a letter to Parker, Dr. Duffield commented, "this
manuscript makes a good straightforward story, and con
stitutes a real contribution to botany and forestry."
He also asked Parker for his assistance in a blister
pitch study that is under way by the University of Cali
fornia Forest Products laboratory.
Left to right, Lylc Anderson of the U.S. Forest service's Medford office, Dr. Elbert
L. Little, head dendrologist from Washington, D. C, Oliver Matthews of Salem and
Eugene L. Parker of Medford pose in front of the Miller peak tree, which is about to
relinquish its title as world's largest Brewer Weeping Spruce. (Parker photo)
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The cones of the Noble fir
have long bracts which bend
downward with long tapering
points.
Perpendicular brads with
fine points are characteristic
of the Shasta Red fir cone.
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LAKE OF THE WOO0s
Giant of Category
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The Noble fir (left) has a thin bark wilh straight ridges while the bark of the Sluula
rd F;r inghtl hn? a more broken pattern. iParkrr plmtni
i . .
This photo shows the full length (if the Miller peak
Brewer Weeping Spruce, now surpassed by another lhre
miles away for the honor of being largest of its kind In
the world.
Applegate A new can
didate for the title of
world's largest Brewer's
Weeping Spruce tree has
been found in the Siskiyou
National forest, just three
miles away from the pres
ent titlcholdcr In the cate
gory. According to Oliver Mat
thews of Salem, who has
discovered many "world's
largest" trees In Oregon,
the new candidate is til
least two feet and a few
inches larger in circumfer
ence than the Brewer's
Weeping Spruce which pre
viously held the title.
The old titlcholdcr is lo
cated at Miller lake and
for about 18 years has ap
peared on the American
Forest's big tree list as the
world's largest of. Its kind.
South of Grayback
The new champion is lo
cated just south of Gray
back mountain, Matthews
explained, about a IS min
ute hike down the slope
from the low saddle, about
a mile south of Cold Springs
on the Siskiyou National
forest side of the Boundary
trail in Josephine county.
It is growing about the
6,000 foot elevation, about
the same elevation as the
Miller Lake area tree, three
miles air line to the south
east. There Is a second Brew
er's Weeping Spruce in the
area, not as large as the
new champion, but larger
than the old litleholder,
Matthews added.
The newly discovered
tree was found to be larger
In the following manner:
Maaiurtment Mad
A measurement was
made at a point 4.3 feet
above the ground on the
upper side of the tree,
which showed the new
champion to be 13 feet, 1
Inch in circumference com
pared to the other tree's 11
feet even.
Then a second measure
ment was made at a point
4,S feet above the ground
on the lower side, with the
new tree measuring 15
feet, 10 inches in circum
ference. The old tree meas
ured 13 feet even at the
same point.
Matthews then added the
two measurements and
averaged them by dividing
by two. Thus the circum
ference of the new tree
"with the contour of the
ground" is 14 feet, SS
inches, compared to the
former champ's 12 feet
even.
Height of Ntw Tret
Height of the new cham
pion is estimated at Rll feet
and spread at 3(1 fert
The new champion could
be a thousand years old,
Matthews said. A downed
tree of the same species at
Miller lake was sawed open,
and a ring count made to
indicate that it look 129
years to grow four inches,
Matthews explained.
Applying these figures to
the measurements of the
Miller Lake champion, Mat
thews figured it to be 883
years old. By the same fig
uring, the Siskiyou National
forest tree is probably more
than 900 years old, maybe
1,000, he said.
This tree is believed to be the largest Brewer Weeping
Spruce in the world. Located in the Siskiyou National forest,
It Is at least two fert larger In circumference than tht
previous titlcholdcr, located about three miles away.
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No longer is this tree at Miller peak considered the
world's largest Brewer Weeping Spruce. A larger one was
found this year three miles away.