The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-03-11
Giant Trees in California.

1t has been supposed that the Sierra
sequoias, or big trees, of California, were
confined to a few small and isolated
groves like those known to tourists by
the name of Calaveras, Toulomne, Mer-
ced and Mariposa, scattered at consid-
cradle intervals along the western slope
of the mountains for distance of sixty
miles. 1t was known that collection
of big trees larger than any OF those
known in the Mariposa and Calaveras
regions exists in Fresno County, where
Thomas mill has for several years been
saving this red wood of the Sierra to
supply the market of Visalia, but it was
discovered last summer that this body Of
big-tree timber IS not properly grove,
| but forest extending for not less than
| seventy miles in a northwest and south
westward direction, with width in some
places of ten miles, and interrupted only
| b, the deep canons which cut aero IS the
general course of the forest and reduce
| the level to an elevation below that at
which the tree is found in wild con-
dltion, 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 thir,y-six degrees twenty minutes,
| across those of the Kaweah and Kings
to that of the San joaquin. The eleva-
ton has not been carefully measured,
but is supposed to vary from 900 to
this forest is accessible by a wagon
road, and that is at Thomas mill, forty
eight miles from Visalia. Unlike the
groves further north this forest consists
mainly and in some places almost ex-
~ nj nc ho 1ir onH thQro q
also multitude of small ones in all the
others saplings only two or three feet
through The largest standing tree as
yet measured is forty feet in diameter; a
charred stump-the tree itself having
sappeared-measures forty-one feet
across. A tree twenty-four feet in diam
eter, four feet above the ground, is pre-
cisely the same thickness sixty feet
higher. A fallen trunk is hollow
throughout and the hole is large enough
to drive horse and buggy seventy-two
feet in it as in tunnel.
The forest is so extensive, the timber
is so 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 ak
and the saw.mill. The wood is similar in
general character to the coast sequoia, or
common red wood, straight in grain,
spill ting freely, even enough in grain for
furniture, and far superior to oak in its
keeping qualities in positions exposed to
alterations of moisture. The Sierra Sc
quota does not throw up sprouts from its
stump, as does the red wood, and can
therefore be felled out more readily. It
was wise for Congress to make reser-
walton for pleasure purposes of the Mari
posa Grove, which IS near Yosemite,
small and conveniently accessible to
tourists by the present route of travel !;
but the Tulare- Fresno forest-it is all in
those two counties-cannot be converted
into a public reservation. Numerous
saw.mills will be built on its lines, and
fumes will carry the lumber down to
the consumers. Wagon-roads will as
cend from the railroad turns to the Cali
fornia Alps. passing through the forest
and receiving great attractions from it,
San Francisc" Alta.