Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-26
MONTEREY PINE AND CYPRESS.
Interesting Data Concerning Them In
Their California Home.

Interesting Data Concerning Them In
Their California Home.
The following appears in recent num-
Der of Science, from the pen of the we'll
known botanist, A Gray:
Botanists and tree-lovers have a special
] interest in CupreSSuS ndcrOcdrpd and Pinus
(; tfSigHis on account of their very restricted
native habitat, and for their value as orna-
mental trees. The first the Monterey cy-
press, is known in the wild state only on
the oceanic edge of that notable coniferous
grove which extends for a few miles be-
| tween the Bay of Monterey and the narrow
inlet of Carmel excepting however, few
| trees similarly situated, it is said, near Pes
cadero, further north. The large cypress
trees of the Monterey grove, most pictur-
esque in character and position, are only a
dozen or two i'll number They are con-
| fined to the rocky and wind-beaten head
| land of the immediate shore. In view of
their precarious position, it was gratifying
TO find, at certain points, that a goodly
number of thrifty young trees were sue
cesstully competing with the pines for a
short distance inland. Yet, hemmed in
between the slowly encroaching ocean on
one hand and the forest of pines on the
other, the future of this unique habitat is
| certainly precarious. Its companion, Piaus
| insignis, seems capable of holding its
ground if left TO nature. Besides this
grove in which it predominates, the tree
naturally occurs here and there for some
distance, perhaps on all the hills around
Monterey Bay The oldest and finest spec
linens of it have seen are on the eastern
side of the little town. accompanied by
equally noble iveoaks (QuercltS agrJotid),
and forming that natural park-now
Il
art, and kept in the finish of an English
noblemans ancestral home-in which
stands the noted Hotel del Monte
1t is no part of my object to commend
the South Pacific Railroad Company for
the establishment of this attractive resort.
Its projectors will doubtless have their re-
ward but, considering the lavish outlay,
one would think that a pecuniary return
will be a long time in coming. But | do
wish to commend them for an incidental
service TO botany and dendrology in rem
dering this habitat of the Monterey pine
and cypress reasonably secure. With large
and liberal foresight, this company bought
the whole grove of Point Pinos and vicin-
ity, supplied it with water from Carmel
river and also with about eighteen miles
OF drives, around the picturesque bluffs,
among the hoary expresses and through
the beautiful forest in various directions,
making of the whole park appertaining
to the hotel, and watchfully caring for its
preservation. The grove, fortunately all
belonged TO one man, who inherited it, so
that its acquisition was practicable, as it
certainly was timely; for the trees would
probably have been very soon cut away for
lumber and firewo0d and the ground cut
up into building lots.
Lamentable as the destruction of this
grove would have been, yet these two trees
would not be lost to California. They are
extensively planted everywhere near the
coast, especially in the southern part of
the State, where they thrive wonderfully
and grow rapidly, i'll situations that no
other coniferous trees could well abide.
At Monterey and at San Francisco the Mon
terey pine is most successfully used, in the
manner of PinuS martina in France, for
the conversion of sand-duhes into forest
At Monterey many hundreds of trees,
taken from the nursery at foot or two in
hight were growing BEAUTIFULLY when
planted upon a sea-beach of drifting sand,
hardly beyond the reach of winters spray.
At San Francisco this tree has played
conspicuous part in the conversion of a
broad tract of sitting sand, which used to
flow over into the town, into beautiful
park, already well furnished with trees and
shrubs in great variety, as well as with
grassy SLOPES anu ldNilo-tit just plluc vi
the CITY Step by step this verdure and
welcom shelter is extending over the re-
manning sand-hills toward the ocean. The
pine is preceded, first by the sand reed
grass (.4nlmophad), then by the wild lu-
pines, especially by the two shrubby species
of the place-the yellow-howered LUpinus
drboreus and the silvery leaved and blue
lowered L. ChamiSsoajS-which in spring
time are as ornamental as they are useful.
The grounds were most wisely as well as
beautifully laid out, the favorable natural
contiguration of the ground preserved and
accumulated, the ample drivewayS led along
easy curves around tree-plantations so
placed as to afford very needful shelter
from the sea-wind which gives an incle
ment character to San Francisco summer.
! | was sorry to see that under q new admin
iStration of this park these good points
were not appreciated as they had been,
perhaps because they are not apprehended.
For changes by no means the better were
in progress; the avenues were being
widened and Strengthened to certain eX-
tent, and shelter cut away, seemingly with
the object of letting in the harsh west
wind, or of facilitating fast driving.
Neither of these results can be really de-
sirable.
Although these two handsome trees, the
Monterey pine and the Monterey cypress,
are wholly UNACCEPTABLE to the Atlantic
United States, as may be said of almost
every California confer, it is pleasant to
know that they grow fairly well in the
warmer parts of England, where they are
highly priced. Still the main hope of their
perpetuity has respect to their native soil.
There is still another coniferous tree on
the California coast of equally limited
range and precarious destiny; namely, |
PnuS 7orreyana of Parry. According to
DR.. Parry (Vest-Americda Scientist, i. 80, |
this tree lis confined to coast-line of not
more than four miles, and extending
scarcely mile inland" just below San
Diego. DR.. Parry makes the timely sug-
gestion that this precious bit of ground |
should be preserved by the town of San
Diego within the corporate limits of which |