New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-23
Rare TREES IN Tue JESCp COLLECTION.
DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS OF OBTAINING sPECI-
MEMS IN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS.

DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS OF OBTAINING SPECl-
MEMS IN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS.
Perhaps few of the visitors TO the unique
Jesup Collection OF Woods in the Museum of Natural
History realize the cost In labor aud skin and time ana
money to gather the specimens before any Of the care
ul WORK OF preparing them for exhibition Is begun
Two specimens that have just reached this city ana
few more on tho way from the Pacific COast are falr
illustrations of the enterprise and intelligent care de-
manded for this work Tjc,o Brererjana ls spruce
not down in the list the collections printed
catalogue because the has been discovered since the
list was prepared growing in small groves near the
summit OF the wild SiskiyOu Ranges In Northern Cali
fornia 1t Is striking tree with pendulOus branches
which give old specimens resemblance to the weeping
willow The cones arc borne the ends OF hanging
whips some of them six feet long, and the persistent
downward growth OF the branches the trunk makes
II a. tree most difficult to climb T. s. Brandcgee, to
whose persistent energy tho world is indebted for the
collection Of specimen log OF this species, found
grove Of the trees dozen miles from what he calls
pseudo-rOad The specimen was cut wrapped In SACKS,
aud hen sewed In hides to protect IT, II was
theh fastened 10 strong narrow sled manufactured on
the ground from Dasan timber the crook Mt tue Dase OF
te uces growing out OF the steep hislde luthsnug
nalIrai curves Tor tho runners; Two STOUT horsos
hltched tandem snakod 1t along. Where the hill was 700
more level ground ana htchod BY long ropes to tho sled
on the sides OF the slopes track had to be dug out and
three men held VI the log from the lower SIDE 10 pre-
vent It's rolling over and dragging the whole outht down
These difficulties and dangers multiplied in the
case OF idT LdU the larch which first discovered
by the British Boundary Commission. This was collect
ed on tho northern slope OF cliff MI stewart W. l.,
where grows above the other timber Tho mountains
wcro more PERCEPTIONS than in the Siskyou region and
the season, midOctobcr. so ato that threatened
snowstorms among unknown canOns without oven
added to the prr OF the undertaking There wasno
danger from snOw,tOrms in August, however among the
Sana Lucia Mountains In CalOrnaior the thermometer
stood 1922 u tho shade. Here tho extremely rare
and local Abi'S brGccGtU. over much OF inc
route from tho home OF this tree 10 the
even the most surc-foOted mules were
useless, aud the log. cncased like tho others In rawhde
pulled along tho face OF the mountains and around
the rocky bluffs with blocks and ropes, sometimes hellg
actually suspended by the ropes until IL was uuay ct
down 10 the sea- whore boat was built Tor 1t ana inc
log lowed 10 ST. Simeon. Here ~ taken on board
the Los Angeles steamer. THIS troo has probably
greater economic vauo than any other American OasaW
\ press Uf mo't limited range In Lake County, Ch.-
CSrSss NIcNdbj0aI is another OF tho trophies with
which Mr Brudcgcc has helped to enrich tho collection
Like other logs these VIII bc i've feet long wncn
dressed Tor the cascs They weigh from loo to l,5OO
mounds,