The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-22
THE BIG CALIFORNIA TREES.
Arrival OF . 6r ent Specimen at the Museum
OF Natural History.

The Museum Of Natural History has been In
a great state Of decorous excitement over the
arrival OF another OF Mr. Morris X. Jesup's
valuable gifts during tho past week. seq
ton OF ono OF tho big trees OF California.
selected in its native forest by the curator OF
the Forestry Department. has. after long
journey by land sea-. arrived to take honored
place in the great hall whore Mr.. Jesup has ut
an expense OF nearly 100000. collected rep
resentatives OF the American forest trees. The
new arrival belongs to the conlferR order.
and its Latin name Is seQuoia somper-
virens. It weighs over eleven tons. Is SIX
feet In circumference. and comes from Santa
Cruz. the portion OF California that yields
the world-tamous forests. The tree was pre-
sented to Mr.. Jesup by its owner. who will
convert the portion that be- retained into gone
- ~ v lee1 OF acad snon tne ownep Gif es
these trees trees" frequently sell for 200 acres Of the
Government land on which they grow. To
BILE. and it was split into halves, which will be
joined together before tho wood is polished. 1t
o on witch 1T It Vas brought from New orleans
and four spirited horses tugged and strained
at their enormous load until it was finally
dows. through which It was by means Of skids.
rollers. and derricks let down into the hall.
mechanical appliances are hosting the one
half up to it's place on top Of the other. When
m union hSs0 H parts . i finally ssaS
obiiquely, and diagonally to s.. sho ", the grain
state. Two workmon viii spend two or more
months making the giant ready for exhibit;
surface will be OF reddish color. with beanti-
fully curled or coptorted grain. surrounded by
rs Of Ws IF h saS
shaggy bark, which Is much CHARGED ts on ono
tina. is not thus seorched and blackened by the
forest fires. With the tree specimen will be
shown phot1fgraPhs its orEnsl
The insect life which feeds up3n It will be also
Illustrated. with Its history and enect upon the
These trees are very tenacious OF lie. and
az tie samp 1hes a
large growth il undisturbed. There are In the
forests circles Of trees indicating where some
NJ onumont these descendants grown from the
ring Of sap wood inside it's bark some Of these
sev a Feet thraash The depth Or eSaraeter
H hi S rse Of rfE s afs s
trees ire largest and closest set. tho soil is
'G Ths sn red iSIs light SOFT rather coarse
grained. susceptible Of 2 good polish. easily
soil. ii is most valuable for building rnr-
poses. shinPios., fence posts railroad ties.
Another forest ginnt. also OF the sequoia
is on its way to the museum:
This will be twenty feet in diameter. and will
be mounte, on black walnut pedestal in near
proximity to it's mate Thcse trees are cone
bearers Of the order .c1nifera. OF tho genus
S"ine forms or tyues VI trees have the power
to prese-v" their Specific character nearly in
tact through wide regions both OF longitude
aration Of tho ranges by, the great Valley of
California. 100 to $50 miles wide the disparity
OF height. and consequent rainfalls result In
forms lar different. Thus they are entitled to
rank, ms distinct hut closely allied species, OF
tina latter the seuuuin sempervrens Ia q
snnciinan. Though of the coast range" 1t is
distinctly known as one OF tho twOnty-one
species possessed by the southern coast range.