, 1877-03-17

and where they are, and for the part
they are now playing, is, to say the rast
not scientific sropostion, nor in any
sense a probable one. Nor is it more
likely that they are destined to play Il
conspicuous part in the future, or that
they would have done So even il the In.
dnn's fires and the white mans ,uX had
pared them. The redwood OF the coast
(Soguom SempG cHeas) had the stronger
hold upon existence, forming us it did
large forests throughout Il narrow, hrlt
about three hundred miles in length,
aud being so tenacious OF life that overy
large stump sprouts into II cop,c. But
it does not pass the bay of Monterey.
nor cross the line of Oregon, although SO
grandly developed not far below it.
Tae more remarkable Sequoia gigantea of
the Sierra exists in numbers SD limited
that the separate groves NAV he reck-
oned upon the fingers, and the trees OF
most Of them have been counted, eycept
near their southern limit, where they are
said to be more copious A species lin
tied in individuals holds its existence by
precarious tenure and this has n foot
hold only in Il few sheltered spots, Of a
happy mean in temperature, and locally
favored with moisture in summer Even
there, the pines with which they are as
sociated, the frs, and even the incense.
Gedars, possess great advantage, and,
though they try in vain to emulate their
sue, wholly overpower, the SegH0it,s in
numbers "To him that hath shall
be given The force of numbers
eventually wins, At least in the
commonIy-visited groves Scquom a.
gaateG is invested in its last streng.
hold, can neither advance into more
exposed portions above, nor fall back
into dder and barren ground be
low, nor hold It's own in the long race
where 1t is, under present conditions;
and little further drying of the climate,
which must once have been much moist
ar thnn now. would precipitpte ITS doom.
Whatever the individual longevity, ccr-
tam If not speedy is the decline of Il
race in which high dcath.nte afflicts
the young. Seedlings of the big trees
occur not rarely, indeed, but in meagre
proportion to those of associated trees;
and small indeed is the chance that any
r0i these will attain to "lhe days OF the
years of their fathers" "Few and eyiln
are the days of all the forest likely to be.
while man both barbarian and civilized,
tormenls them with fires, fatal at once
to seedlings, and at length to the aged
also. The forests OF California, proud
as the State may be Of them, are already
too scanty and insufficient Tor her uses.
Two lines, such as may be drawn with
one sweep OF brush over the map,
would cover them all. The coast red
wood-the most important tree in Cal
lfornia, although million times more
numerous than its srelative Of the Sierra.
is too good to live long Such is its
value for lumber and its accessibility.
that, Judging the future by the past, it
Is not likely, in its primeyal growth, to
out'last its rarer ielow.species.
Happily man preserves ard dissent.
mates as well as destroys. The species
will doubtless be preserved to science,
and for ornamental AMI other uses. in its
own and other lands; and the more re-
markable individuals OF the present day
are likely to be sedulously cared Tor, all
the more so as they become scarce.
Our third question remains to be an
swered Have these famous ,SegNOioS
played in former times and upon II lar
ger stage more imposing part, of which
the present is but the epilogue9 We
cannot gaze high up the huge and ven.
cradle trunks, which one crosses the
continent to behold, without wishing
that these patriarchs of the grove were
able, like the long lived antediIuvans OF
scripture, to hand down to us, through
few generations, the traditions Of cen
turies, and so tell us somewhat Of the
history of their race. Fifteen hundred
annual layers have been counted or sats
isiactorily made out, upon one or two
fallen trunks. 1t is probable that close
to the heart of some of the living trees
may be found the circle that records the
year OF our Savior's nativity. A few