, 1877-03-17

knowledge of their actual existence. In
/ other words, science should take its
course freely and unimprded, to learn
/ everything movable OF nature and her
teachings, then natural theology and
| schemes Of reconciliation of the teach.
ingS Of science with systems assumed TO
he divine, may rcvercuty follow after,
and explain why things that are done so
0n) so should thDs take place. when, as
is too often the case, rules are laid down
why nature should work thus and so, in
advance of observing how she performs
her operation, confusion Is usually the
result.
Perhaps the most interesting paper to
those on this coast in this work, is m
address delivered by Prof Gray before
the American Association for the nd-
yuncrment Of Science, at Dubuque, Iowa,
in August, 1872, on the Se9,oia and its
history, and the relations of Moth Amer
icnn to Northeast Asian and to Tertiary
Vegetation. Our space is too limited to
publish the whole Of this address With
out comment even, yet after so fully CIV
ing the relations in which the address
and Its able author are placed, we will
venture the attempt OF giving con-
drnscd outline of the authors ideas rs
therein expressed, especially in relation
to the SegU0in or big trees of California.
We shall not attempt to follow strictly
the authors language, or in every in
stance to indicate which are his expires
sions, or otherwise, but only to give the
substance of his remarks, emitting every
thing not strictly applicable TO our pur-
pose in publishing this article, Says the
author:
although no account and no photo
graphic representation OF either species
of the Mr.taned Sequoa trees gives any
adequate impression of their singular
majesty hess of their beauty--yet
my interest in them did not Culminate
merely or mainly in consideration of their
size ana age. Other trees, in other parts
Of the world, may claim to be older.
Certain Australian gum-trccs (Euca'WtD
Grc said to be taller. Some, we are told,
rise so high that they might even cnst Il
flicker Of shadow upon the summit of
the Pyramid oI Chcops Yet the oldest
OF them doubtless grew from seed which
was shed long after the names OF the
pyramid builders had been forgotten. So
far as we can judge from the actual
counting of the layers of several trees,
no Seguoia now alive sensibly antedates
the Christian era.
"One notable thing about the SeqUoia
trees is their isolation. Most Of the trees
associated with them are ofpeculiar spe-
cies, and some of them are nearly as 10.
cal. Yet every pine, fir, and cypress'of
California is in some part familiar, be-
cause it has near relatives in other parts
of the world. But the redwnoAs have
none. The Notwithstanding in that
name the two species of big trees'-he-
longs to the general Cypress family, but
is sal generis Thus isolated systemati-
cally- and extremely isolated geograph
icaly, and so. wonderful in size and port,
they more than other trees suggest ques-
tions.
"Were they created thus local and
lonely. denizens of California only; one
in limited numbers in few choice spots
on the Sierra Nevada, the other along the
Coast Rauge from the Bay of Monterey
to the frontiers of Oregon Are they
veritable Melrhizedeks, without pedigree
or early relationship, and possibly iated
to be without descent2
"Or are they now coming upon the
stage--or rather were they coming but
for mans interlerence--to play part in
the futures
Or are they remnants, sole and scanty
survivors Of q race that has played n
grander part IN the past, but is now
verging to extinction3 Have they had
n career and can that career be ascer.
tanned or surmised, so that we may at
least guess whence they came, and how,
and when3
Time was, and not long ago, when
such questions as these were regarded as