The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-04-15
Giant Tres in California.

II has been supposed that the Sierra Sc
quotas, or big trees of California, were con-
fined to a few small and isolated groves
like those known to tourists by the name
of Calaveras, Tuolumne, Merced, and
Mariposa, scattered at considerable inter-
vals along the western slope of the noun
tains tor distance of sixty miles. 1t was
known that collection of big trees larger
than those in the Mariposa and Gala
veras regions exists in Fresno county,
where Thomas's mill has for several
years been saving this redwood OF the
Sierra to supply the market OF Nlsalla,
but it was discovered last summer that
this body Of big tree timber is not proper
ly a grove, but a forest extending for not
less than seventy miles in northwest
and southeastWard direction, with width
in some places of ten miles, and inter
rupted only by the deep canons which cut
across the general course of the forest,
and reduce the level to an elevation be-
low that at which the tree is found in u
wild condition, although when cultivated
it thrives in all our valleys.
Different persons have traced the forest
from the basin of the Tule River. in lati-
tude 36 deg. 20 min. across those of the
The elevation has not been carefully meas
ured, but is supposed to vary from 1000
to G000 feet At one point, and one OILY,
this forest is accessible by a wagon road,
and that is at Thomas's Mill, forty ght
miles from Visalia. Unlike the groves
| further north. this forest consists mainly
and in some places almost exclusively OF
the big trees, and there are also Il multi
tude Of small ones in all the ages of
growth, some Just sprouting, and Others
saplings only two or three feet through.
The largest standing tree as yet measur-
| ed is forty feet in diameter; charred
stump-the tree itself having disappear
ed-measured forty one feet across. A
| tree twenty tour feet in diameter, four feet
above the ground. is precisely the same
thickness sixty feet higher. A fallen trunk
| is hollow throughout, and the hole is large
| enough to drive a horse and buggy seven
| ty-two feet in it as in tunnel.
This forest is so extensive, the timber
| is 50 abundant and excellent in quality,
and the demand for it is so great in the
bare valley at the foot OF the mountain,
that it cannot be withheld from the axe
and the saw mill The wood is similar
in general character to the coast sequoia,
or common redwood, straight in grain,
splitting freely, even in grain tor furni-
ture, and far superior to oak in its keeping
qualities in positions exposed to altera-
tioos OF moisture. The Sierra sequoia
does not throw up sprouts from its stump
as does the redwood and can therefore
be felled out more readily. 1t was wise
in Congress to make a reservation for
pleasure purposes of the Mariposa Grove,
which is near Yosemite, small and con
veniently accessible to tourists by the
present routes of travel; but the Tulare-
Fresno forest--it is all in those two coun-
ties-cannot be converted into public
reservation. Numerous saw mills will be
built on its line, and fumes will carry the
lumber down to the consumers. Wagon
roads will ascend from the railroad turns
to the California Alps, passing through
the forest and receiving great attractions
from it. Alta California.