Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-12-04
AUTUMN IN THE sIERRAs.
THE AUTUMN ASPECT IN THE HIGH
SIERRAS OF CALIFORNIA.
Indian summer-wonders of nature Effect
OF Mountain Lie-Fhe Gold-Dig-
-Phiiosophizlng

FoRBEsTowN, November 26, 1880.
The weather continues SO delightfully."-
fine that-were it not for the maturity
and gathering OF fruits, and the admoni-
ton of the calendar that the last month of
fall is drawing to close-we should hardly
realize that we are passing the third sea-
son of the year. The regular south wind,
harbinger of rain, has occasionally blown
for short time, and clouds have drifted
leisurely through the heavens, but their
presence has been for ornament in glorify-
ing the world at the rising and setting of
the sun more than for aqueous freight to
lay the dust and quench the thirsty earth.
The result is rything is very dry, and
fire Is now raging in our pine forests.
FROSTY NIGHTS,
However, have aided the Beautifier of
plants III adjoining the foliage of the oak,
maple, ETC., in arich glow at his wonted
time to visit the forests, and now they are
wearing mantle of loveliness. How very
interesting and joyous it is to note the
progress OF the work, as the hand Of the
great Master touches daily each little leaf,
till far and near, in golden sheen and am
Der, or blushiDg red, the beautiful land
scape lies in repose. We do not find in
our pine.c clad hills an entire change in foli-
age IN the autumn, such as you behold in
places where they have no evergreens.
Pines, cedars, live oaks, manzanitas, etc,
| +hoi, affnr1,r,, al,a -,
aspect throughout the fall and winter
months. The mapzanita and madroLa are
now shedding their bark-which looks
very pretty as 1t curls up, leaving the tree
smooth and bright as if polished. Notwith-
standing the long-continued Indian sum-
mer we are now having, the deer, noun
tain quail, etc, wind their way from the
high Slerras valleyward, knowing by their
unerring instinct that it is now time for the
storm king to make his appearance. The
very instructive page autumn reveals i'll the
volume OF natural history gives thought
PHILOSOPHICAL WING,
While in her exalted sphere the soul
muses. on the fitness and perpetuity of
things. Occasionally on fine day, when
the wind is blowing south, note the gossa-
mer, and the little migratory spider taking
this means of working his way southwark,
will pay you well for your observation.
This phenomenon was watched by friend
and the writer year ago, when hundreds
of small spiders about US We're taking ad-
vantage of a gentle wind TO go south,
their modus operandi being to ascend q
tree or some other elevated object, spin a
web, or one strand of 1t, then drop in the
breeze and 90 ON their aerial fight.
Then the distribution of seeds is very
interesting, Conspicuous among these
the sugar pine, pitch-pine, nut pine, etc,
may be mentioned for the wonderful ar
rsngement which nature has provided for
them to self.sow their own seed. a semi
transparent lntegument, varying in size
in proportion as the fruit of the tree may
be large or small, that of the pitch pine
being about one fourth of an inch wide by
one inch long, incloses at one end the seed,
which, when fully ripe, drop from their
cells when the scales of the cone open
then on zephyr, lightly waiting, the ap-
pendage fits, the germof the majestic pine.
In this manner the appendage, which re-
sembles the wing of an insect, scatters the
seed
HUNDREDS OF YARDS
From the parent tree, on rocky nights,
and in deep defle, for propagating the valu.
able timber of our mountains. On exposure
to theelements theaerial messenger becomes
free from its pitchy adhesion to the seed,
leaving the latter to work downward and
plant itself in the earth. A part of the
seed is of course planted by the little
squirrel when collecting and storing its
food. In attempting to give graphic
sketch OF the autumnal landscape there is
so much to note and so many details to
mention that the pen is wont to hnger and
become spellbound on the many phases OF
beauty aud grandeur revealed IN every
view, for hills and wales are bathed in a
flood of glory, warm and cheering. Hav.
ing completed It's mission of beautifying
the earth and affording generous shade
through the hot days of summer, the
foliage now dances lightly to the music OF
the wind, reminding one that 1t Is good
policy to keep the heart light, even to the
end OF life. Robins, orioles and
other birds whose songs we learn
to appreciate, flock together and
give US an occasional farewell note ere
they migrate to more congenial cline for
the winter, but they will soon return
juhilant, in the warm days Of spring. In
the meantime gladstone voices will ring by
the glowing hearth and hearts will warm
with Joy as the home circle unite in CHEEKY
} song. Sing not of shade and gloom and
sadness, at the change and falling of the
leaf, but rather unite in singing OF light,
beauty, joy and fullness of life, for the
generous earth has yielded US bountiful
crops, and should we not rejoice in the
general prosperity we are enjoying? A
few years ago the dusky Indian, his dirty
squaw and papooses alone occupied this
fair land, providing for their winter use a
scanty supply of acorns, dried grasshop-
pers, etc, only. But thanks for the slim
ulus of the precious metals and the rich,
allnvial soil of our great valleys, civiliza-
ton has taken gigantic step to the far
} West, and to-day we rejoice in
''PEAcE AND PLENTY y
Aye, and fair degree of refinement, even
among gold. diggers, whose occupation
tends toward impoverishing and devastat.
ing the earth of it's beauty. All that is
wanting on our part is appreciation for the
dressings winch nave pesu sio" iCo oii 10
so freely then we shall feel and realize
that we are the happiest people under the
sun. If there is such a thing as general
equality of men to be found anywhere, it
is in the gold mines of California; for,
whether fortune has smiled on miner or
not, you will always find him to possess
sterling traits of character, and a heart
warm with sympathy intelligent, too, as
general thing Observe our young Ia
dies-born here in the mountains, many oil
them never having seen our large cities-in
equestrian costume dashing over the
hills gracefully, and manifesting more con-
fidence in the saddle than -tenths Of
the ladies who have received instruction in
riding school. They are quite indie
pendent, too, waiting on themselves as oc.
casinn nav rennire for 1t il not unusual 70