Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01
California Wonders.

CalllOTnlA NOnueTSs
Whenever trees are named in connection
with California, the mind at once reverts
TO the Se7uoieS gidanted, these monsters
OF forests, unsurpassed in size by any
other known on this continent and per-
haps in the old world. But large trees
are the rule rather than the exception
throug out our northwestern cotst, being
in Washington territory and Oregon of
gigantic size. Many of the frs. cedars
and spruces are three and four hundred
feet in height; often at least hundred
tall, and straight, before branches appear
This size is increased in the California
forests, where trees four and five feet in
diameter are quite common, while the
sugar pine in some cases attains dame
ter Of ten and eleven feet. This is re-
markable tree, It's sap or pitch being of the
consistence and taste of grape sugar, and
its wood having a handsome grain and
susceptible OF Il high polish; indeed many
of these cuniferous trees furnish beautiful
ard valuable wood for furniture and for
finishing. Even the oaks here attain
vast size and are handsome trees. But it
is true that the Seguoia far surpasses them
ing in this country, in belt between five
and seven thousand feet in altitude. which
is the usual home of the sugar pine, that
seldom being found below five thousand
feet. The same is true Of the silver fir,
smaller tree, but exceedingly beautiful.
The Sequoia is a coniferous tree, the cones
being small and compact The foliage is
much like that of the red cedar. The bark
is light colored and deeply and irregularly
grooved. longitudinally The wood is
rather hard with Il fine grain, and reddish
in color, especially that Of the roots; the
sap has the color and taste of decoction
Of logwood. The dimensions OF the trees
are vast in diameter, rather than in height,
although they are really tall giants. being
in some cases three and four hundred feet
high. The grisly giant. said to be the
largest of the MaripoSs group, measures
over thirty feet in diameter while many
others fall but IL little behind this. The
branches which themselves are larger than
common trees, are not very abundant and
are unsymmctrical, so that it is really not
Il graceful tree. The trees are scattered
among others, in thick groves, consequent
ly are not 50 striking as if they all stood by
themselves together. They are scattered
over large area in length; there being in
all some eight groups, containing many
thousands of trees. Some of them are not
larger than the neighboring sugar pine,
though on an average they surpass any
other tree Growing very common and at
about the same altitude, is rather small
tall straight tree, with bark and foliage so
similar to those of the "big trees that
they look as if they might belong to the
same family.
A marked peculiarity of these trees is
that most of them in the Mariposa valley
have been injured by fire, apparently be-
fore the other surrounding trees had COM
menced their growth Some of them are
burned hundred feet upwards, upon the
side of the trunk; others are burned quite
hollow; and again others burned through,
forming arches through which people may
walk or ride, even coach and six. And
yet SO tenacious of life are they that they
are still hourishng like a green bay
tree OF their age but the merest conjec-
ture can be formed; one of the sugar
pines, "A mere infant in comparative age,
was recently cut down, the rings of which
gave clear age of at least 20OO years.
Some of the big trees" have fallen, one
OF which stretches its hundreds of feet
along the ground, and is ascended by II
flight of at least twelve steps. Standing
upon this fallen trunk one realizes its
enormous size, much more than when
looking at 1t in standing position. Sew
eral OF the trees have single trunk to a
considerable height, alter which they be-
come two distinct trees, and many more
seem from the irregularity of their roots
TO have Started rs three or four trees aud
then to have united. Often they stand in
groups Of three or four trees near together.
| One of these is called the Harvard group
and the names of Longfellow and Whittier
are labled to their respective trees. Some
are named for states. Others NEUROLOGICAL
y, POLITICALLY, etc.
ANY word description fails entirely to
convey realizing sense of the realities of
these prehistoric and perhaps pre-adamic
deuzens of these forests. Nor when they
are seen is the beholder much wiser, for
speculate about them as he will, he is
| finally obliged 10 confess that all his
knowledge of their origin is speculation.
Much more satisfactory is his examination
of the rare and beautiful native Flora.
which thickly dots the ground around the
buses OF these vast trees, like fairies fitting
around the feet of hoary giants. One, the
snow loo pi"n., 10 /" parfact wonder. Ii
grows TO the height of IL or l5 inches, is
red stalk. covered thickly with bright
red campanulate flowers; no trace of ver-
dure about 1t!
The Century plant. so called. grows
wild in southern California. and often
blooms at the age of 10 or IL years. That
dry desert region seems exactly adapted
to its early development into Towering.
In this part of the state too, are the famed
orange groves, which are now becoming
an article of so much Importance to the
prosperity of this section Of the country.
Unlike the Century plant, however, these
latter require abundant irrigation. They
now reach miles in extent, yet are being
constantly increased.
+. N. b.