The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-07-02
Tbe Great Tree or California

The Great Tree Of California. .
A PEW years ago the botanical
world was excited by the discovery
in California of two Apccies Of trees
belonging tothe conifere, and close
ly allied to our native cypress,
which Cor size and symmetrical pro.
portions truly surpassed all known
trees.
Both belonging TO the genera Sc.
quota, established by Endilchera, q
noted German botanist, but from
whence he derived the name is not
known; possibly after n celebrated
chief OF the Cherokee nation named
"See.qua yah" who invonted an al.
phubet for tho Cherokee language,
ahd introduced among them many
new arts and implements.
A curious rivalry sprang up a.
mong botanists relative 10 tho ma.
ming Of our California species.-
Tho British botanists Eindley, Cor.
don and others called IT IgcHin1to~
mia gyahted, after their great mill
tary hero. Mr.. Kellogg, of Ca!ifJr
MIA, nottled at the idea Of having an
American tree symbolic a British
soldier. called il JTdshlngtonia gigdH-
tea. Others again called 1t Amer
icdiriS giganteHS; but DIR. Torroy, of
this city, showed clearly that 1t be-
longed 80 the genus .Sequoio, and
named IL $. gigdnted the EnglIsh
botanists, however, persist in call
ing it s. JVellngtonid.
This species is found on the wos-
torn TANKS of tie Sierra Nevada
Mountains, and is said to have been
first discovered by a company OF
miners. Some, however, give tho
honor Of the discovery to Mr. Lobb,
an English Scientific explorer, and
others again TO Douglass, IN 1881.
We are inclined TO believe that
Douglass discovered IL, but did not
meet with the grove IN Calaveras
county, which has since become so
renowned.
One o! tho largest trees was fellei
some ten or twelve years ago. Es.
tlmatlng its ago by the annual rings,
it must have:been thrco thousand
one hundred years old il was over
ninety feet IN circumference at the
base. Tho stump is used as ball.
room, and the hollow trunk as a
bowling-alley. A man can ride on
horseback for distance of seventy
five feet through it, going out by q
knot-hole in the side. 1t required
six weeks labor to fell the tree at a
cost Of $500. Itwas done by boring
holes through il with largo pump
augcrs; q largo pine tree was then
felled against it, but this not sue
ceeding, wedges were driven into
the cuttings, and tho tree thrown
from its centre of gravity. II was
estimated 20 contain Two hundred
and fifty thousand feet of timber.
Professor Brewer has since found
a still larger tree, which measures
one hundred and SIX feet IN clrcum.
ference ut four feet frcm tho ground
and probably had been one hun.
dred and twenty feet in circumfe-
renee, as 1t had lost some of its but
tresses by fire; 1t was two hundred
and seventy-six feet high.
Another species, s. semperUirens,
is much more plentiful, and IS also
n very magnificent tree. 1t was
discovered by Menzios in 1896. At
Santa Cruz, above Monterey, speci-
mems Of this species, two hundred
and seventy feet high, were found
by Hartweg, and Douglass speaks
of specimens three hundred foot
high and thirty~two feet in circum-
florence at three feet from the
ground and another has been found
that measures fifty-fve feet IN err.
cumferenccsix feet from the ground.
IL is known as the Redwood" F." in
California, and has very handsome
deep. green foliage, aud Is a vigor-
ous grower, but unfortunately is
not hardy north of Washington or
Baltimore, and to succeed perfectly
should be grown still further south.
The S. glgilntea appears to be
somewhat more hardy, as somo good
specimens are growing IN tho
grounds of Messrs. ElIwanger and
Barry, at Rochester, N. Hearth
and Home.