The times., 1901-05-05
COLOSSAL AMERICAN TREES
The Existing Few Still Within
Their Glacial Range.
Specimens of Majestic Timber In
Groves of CaIifornia-Thc Mnriposn
District yeritnbIe Giants of the
Forest-Their Immense DiRmetcrs.

Before the glacial period the big trees
called Sequoia flourished widely in the
temperate zones of three continents. There
were many specimens in Europe, Asia, and
America. and each had its share. But when
The ice fields moved down cut of the north
the luxuriant vegetation Of the age de-
clined. and with il this multitude OF
trees. One after another of the different
kinds gave way, their remains became
buried. and when the ice receded Just TWO
species. the Big Tree and the redwood sur
vived Both grew in California. each sep
arate from the other, and each occupying,
in comparison with its former t,rtitory, 4
mere island Of space. As we know them
now. the redwood tSequoia semperVireus)
lives only in a narrow strip Of the coast
ranges ten to thirty miles wide, extend
ing from lust within the southern border
of Oregon to the Bay of Monterey while
the big tree (Sequoia Washin% conidna) Is
found only in small groves scattered along
the west slope Of the Sierra Nevada Noun
tains from the middle fork IF the Ameri-
can River to the head of Deer Creek, a
distance Of $50 miles The utmost search
reveals but ten main groups, and the total
number of sizable trees in these groups
must be limited to figures in the thou-
sands It is. moreover. the plain truth
that all the specimens which are rer;arh-
able for their size do not exceed 200
The Big Trees are unique in the world
the grandest the largest the Oldest the
most majestically graceful of trees-and
If If were not enough to be all-lhls'
they are among the scarcest OF known
species and have the extreme sclentihc
value of being the best living representa-
tives of a former geologic age. II is
tree which has come down to us through
the vicissitudes of many centuries solely
because of its superb qualifications. It's
bark is often two feet thick and almost
non-combustible. The Oldest specimens
felled are still sound at heart, and fungus
is an enemy unknown TO it. Yet with all
these means of maintenance the Big
Trees have apparently not increased ther
range since the glacial period. They have
only Just managed to hold their own little
strips of country where the climate is To-
cally favorable.
AT the present time the only grove
thoroughly safe from destruction is the
Mariposs. and this is far from being the
most interesting. Most of the other groves
are either in process of, or in danger OF,
being logged The very finest of all. the
Calaveras Grove, with the biggest and
tallest trees the most uncontaminated
surroundings and practically all the lit
erary and scientific associations Of the
species connected with il, has been pur-
chased by a lumberman who came into
full possession on April ], 1900 The Sc
quota and General Grant National Parks,
which are supposed to embrace and give
ssecurity to q large part of the remaining
Big Trees, are eaten into by a sawmill
each. and by private timber claims
amounting to a total Of 1,112.S acres The
rest of the scanty patches of Big Trees
are in a fair way to disappear in Calave-
ras. Tuolumne, Fresno. and Tulare coun-
ties they are now disappearing the
ak In brief, the majority of the Big
Trees Of California, certainly the best of
them, are owned by people who have ev
cry right. and in many cases every inten-
tion, to cut them into timber.
The Calaveras Grove was the first one
discovered, having been found in 1871 by
John Bidwell, afterward candidate for
member of Congress from California. Just
how and when the other groves Of Big
Trees We're found is difficult to determine.
AS early as 1864 Prof Brewer Of Yale
and a party from the California Geologi-
cal Survey visited the Calayeras and
Mariposa groves and also several tracts
in the region Of Kings River and by 1870
the majority OF Big Trees had been 10
Gated.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION OF
BIC TREE GROVES.
The Big Trees occur exclusively I'm
groves or scattered over limited areas
never forming groups by themselves, but
always disseminated among a much larg-
er number Of trees Of other kinds. These
patches on which the Big Trees stand DO
not equal in area a hundredth part of that
which the redwoods cover exclusively. 1t /
may be roughly stated that this area does
not, SO far as yet known exceed fftV
square miles, and that most Of this is in I
one patch between Kings and Kaweah 4
rivers. The CalaVeras Grove is the most /
northerly, and one on the south fork Of I
the Tule is the fdrtneSt south Of any Vet /
known to us. These are also quite limited 4
In vertical range, since they nowhere de- 1
scend much below 500 or rise above 1000 !
feet. They follow the other California !
trees IN this respect, that they occur low 4
er down on the Sierra as we 20 north /
ward. The most northerly grove. that Of I
CalaveIas, is the lowest i'm elevation above /
sea level There are eight distinct /
patches OF groves of the Big Trees and in 4
geographical order from north 10 south 4
are the CalaVeTas. the Stanislsus. Crane !
LAT, Mariposa, Ferson, North Fork Tule |
River. and South Fork TuIe River
The Calaveras Grove is situated in the 4
county Of that name about sixteen miles /
from Murphy's camp and near the Stan /
tslaus River. II Is On or near tho road /
crossing the Sierra by the Silver Moun- 4
tain Pass. This being the first grove of /
the Big Trees discovered and the most
accessible, II has come into notice and
bren mucn more visited than any Of the I
others. This and the Mariposa Grove ere
the only ones which have become q resort !
for travellers. Calaveras Grove has also
the great advantage over the others in /
that q good hotel is kept there. and that
u Is accessible on wheels, all the others
being at greater or less distance from
ahy road ms grove occupies 4 belt g. 2Gg |
cEf
northwest and southeast direction Ia a
depression between two stones. tbroiIpl
which meanders a small brook which
dries UP ln summer There are bctyVeeu \
~ ana 100 trees Of large size in the grove
and considerable number of small ones
chleoy on the outskirts. Several have
1aiien since the grove was discovered
one has been cut down and has had fba /
Dark stripped from il 70 the height Of IIe
reet above the ground. The bark inns re-
moved was exhibited in different places
4LC = .l HiiaIl! round resting place in the !
i-Noenhsm Crystal Palace England
where u was unfortunately burned iu thS
IRE which consumed Il part Of that buifd
lHs lew years since. The two trees
lnuS DESTROYED were the finest in tba
EIoFe- Inc ta!lest now standing Is the
est ana finest is known as the "EmniSe
- - ~, ne AsiSht ~ this grove above !
Ihe next grove south Of the one inst
IyJicea ls south 81 the Stanislalgs River
ana Is called the Stanislaus Grove. IN is
near the borders of Csla-eree -
Juolumne counties. II is six miles so,I,b
east oi the Calavcras Grove on Eass-a,.
creek. branch Of the Stanislaus II is
80 s1tl 10 contain from 600 10 500 trees. but
none ci them are as large as those seen
IN the Calaycras Grove
ABOUT twenty-five miles southeast Of the
s9tahlsia4s Grove Is another, which NAV
De called the Crane Flat Grove. as ii Is
from a mile and half from the station
OF mat name on tho COultertiiie trail 10