The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-07-03
Che 9ailp auarnal,


An interesting letter from California, pub
hshed in the Cannc.ten Reporter gives the
following description of the forests of Cali
foa1ia:
Ny trip, for pse past two weeks, has been
through the Middle and Southern mining
region, and haze seen more than | ever
dreamed OF before. The big trees and 70
Semitic Faals and Valley constitute the
greatest curiosities of the State. The To-
calitr Of the former is about one hundred
and fifty miles southeast of Sacramento,
and is from five to six thousand feet above
the ocean. They are, indeed, vegetable
wonder; or, if that's not proper, they are n
forest wonder. There are ninety-two of
them now standing in the grove, OF a DIANE
ter OF fifteen to thirty-three feet, and vary
ing in height from t~o hundred and fifty To
three hundred and fifty feet, and about the
sane number of less than fifteen feet IN di-
amter and Of less height.
They are of species heretofore unknown
20 the naturalistS, and they have, therefore,
coined a new name for them, to-wit: "The
washingtonia Gigatiea. The trees standing
are straight as arrows, and sound 10 the
heart, looking as vigorous as if they were
but lust starting. instead of being 1000
wears old, as estimated by naturalists. The
largest standing tree is ninety-seven feet in
circumference and three hundred and fifty
feet high. 1t stands upon and Is growing
upon fallen tree, buried about ten feet be-
low the surface, which is larger than the
standing tree. Close by lays another fallen
tree, still above the surface, which must have
fallen over one hundred years ago, which is
one hundred and twelve feet in circumter-
ence at base and $50 feet in leEgth-
Some four years since one of the grove
was cut down and section taken away for
exhibition. II took five men twenty-five
davs, or one hundred and twenty-five days,
with a1grrs and saws to cut il of. When
cat of, il would not fall and was wedged
over. II was cut off from eight to ten feet
above ground. The stamphas been smooth
ed down and covered over at this height,
ard is used as ball room for parties who
visit the trees in the summer. The stump,
on the surface Of the ball room floor, meas
sures twenty-four feet in diameter, with
out the bark, which varies on the, standing
trees from eighteen to twenty-eight inches
thick. A section Of about five feet was TAX
en- away. y StCliOu vi aocu1 hhAA's ASSe
long has been stripped Gifts bark AID the
earth dug away from around it, showing It's
grand proportions; and another section has
been smoothed down for a .ten-pin alley,
billiard room, &c, &c. The timber is rcd
in color; very light; not fragrant. The
tree bears cone, and the enclosed seeds !
rattied cut of some fallen ones. enclose
YOU also a small branch, which we shot of
ri pistols, as there is no foliage nor a
,'lno uf,'--2y of the big tree less than one
huruIeu anu nti' Get from the ground.
Take them as they va. they are well
worthy the trouble of visiting ni.nl for urI-
I'll this grove was discovered, eye meyer
looked upon such a growth. Since these
trees have been discovered, j Learn that
others have been found along the mountains
IN MaripoSa county, and rumor says that
there is Il tree now standing, forty feet in
diameter.