[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Douglas fir (_Pseudotsuga taxifolia_).]
The western red cedar (title page and fig. 5) ranges from south-eastern
Alaska to northern California. It is a common tree in the park. It
occurs in patches along the river bottoms where the flat scalelike
foliage is conspicuous among the needle-shaped leaves of the hemlock and
fir. The bark is fibrous in appearance and may be readily separated into
long strips. The trunks of the older trees are swelled and irregularly
fluted at the base. The leaves are fragrant and the wood has a pleasing
aromatic odor. Nearly all the large trees are hollow at the butt. The
roots spread laterally to a great distance, but extend only for a short
distance below the surface of the ground. The tree is easily overthrown
by the wind and usually grows in sheltered localities. On account of the
thinness of the bark it is easily killed by fire.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Two big Douglas firs and a western red cedar (on
the left) along the road up the Nisqually Valley, Mount Rainier National
Park.