*** Source: Thompson, Robert A., Historical and descriptive sketch of Sonoma County, California. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1877, 122 pgs. Notice: This data is donated to the Public Domain by TAG, 2004, and may be copied freely by anyone to anywhere. *** ---page 32--- Meeker Bros. mill..........capacity 15,000 feet.......annual product.....3,000,000 F. Gilford's mill..........capacity 10,000 feet.......annual product.....1,000,000 Madrona mills..............capacity 35,000 feet.......annual product.....6,000,000 ______ _________ Total daily capacity of all mills..354,000 Total annual product..57,000,000 At this rate of consumption, our timber in reach of the railroads would last for nearly fifty years, and more transportation in cord-wood and tan-bark would be left upon the land than had been hauled off in lumber. An extension of the railroad will of course open up new fields. It is now quite certain that the narrow-gauge road will follow Austin creek from Russian river, cross the divide, and go down the Valhalla . This would open up an immense field not now in reach of market. TABULATED STATEMENT OF TIMBER BY SECTIONS. Between Valhalla and Russian river..................437,000,000 Duncan's Mill, Land and Lumber Co...................216,000,000 Russian River Land and Lumber Co....................450,000,000 Bodega country and north of Howard's canon..........345,000,000 Opposite Guerneville.................................33,000,000 Hulbert's canon, Big Bottom, Elliott's canon........350,000,000 Marshall timber on Mill creek........................15,000,000 _____________ Total number of feet in county....................1,846,000,000 The reader will bear in mind that there are several million cords of tan- bark and cord-wood, of which no estimate has been made. In estimating the redwood, we have figured on from fifty to sixty thousand feet to the acre; on best bottom lands there are acres that will yield eight hundred thousand feet; on thin land the yield will run as low as twenty-five thousand feet to the acre. THE HARD-WOODS. We herewith give a brief description of the other valuable commercial woods which grow in the forests of Sonoma, commencing with the California laurel, a beautiful evergreen which grows in the redwood belt. The wood bears a high polish, and is extensively used as veneer; leaves and wood have a strong aromatic odor. It is a valuable product of the Sonoma forests. The madrona, one of the most striking trees of California, grows abundantly in this section. The bark is a bright red color, and peels off at regular intervals; the new bark is a pea-green color. The wood is hard, and is employed for making shoe-lasts, wooden stirrups, and other articles. It is the handsomest of the forest's trees, but will not bear transplanting. THE OAKS. The chestnut-oak, quercus densi flora, is abundant in the redwood forests of Sonoma. The bark is rich in tannin; the trees are stripped, and large quan- tities of the bark are shipped for tanning hides. The price of the bark in San Francisco is from fifteen to seventeen dollars per cord; consumption about one hundred and fifty cords a month. The wood of this tree is used in the manufacture of chairs at the Forrestville and other factories. *** end ***