274 ON THE FORESTS OF SEQUOTA (WELLINGTONTA) GIGANTEA. 
Extract of a letter from Professor W.H. Brewer, State Geological 
Survey of California, on the Forests of Sequoia (Wellingtonia) 
gigantea, addressed to Sir W. J. Hooker, F.R.S. & L.S. 
[Read January 19, 1865. ] 
AN interesting discovery this year has been of the existence of 
the big trees in great abundance on the western flanks of the 
Sierra Nevada, in about lat. 36° or 37°. They are very abundant 
along a belt at 5000-7000 feet alt., for a distance of more than 
twenty-five miles, sometimes in groves, at others scattered through 
the forestsin great numbers. You can have no idea of the grandeur 
they impart to the scenery, where at times a hundred trees are 
in sight at once, over 15 feet in diameter, their rich foliage con- 
trasting so finely with their bright cinnamon-coloured bark. I 
found trees larger than they occur further north (in the Calaveras 
and Maipura groves). The largest tree I saw was 106 feet in 
circumference at 4 feet from the ground. It had lost some but- 
tresses by fire; it must have been at least 115 or 120 feet when 
entire; it is 276 feet high. The Indians tell of a much larger 
tree which I did not see. 
There seems no danger of the speedy extinction of the species, 
as it is now known in quite a number of localities, and, contrary 
to the popular notion, there are immense numbers of younger 
trees of all sizes, from the seedling up to the largest. There has 
been much nonsense and error published regarding them. 
I have no doubt of the true generic relations. I think that no 
one who is familiar with both species in situ would separate them 
generically from the Sequoia sempervirens, also abundant in this 
State, and fully as restricted in its distribution; nor do I think 
the names of Wellingtonia and Washingtonia would be insisted on 
with such zeal, were it not for seed-dealers and plant-collectors. 
I may remark that the seed-collectors on this coast have created 
endless confusion by naming species more for profit than from 
any honest conviction that they were new species. 
I enclose a photograph by Watkins of the “ Grizzly Giant,” 
the largest tree in the “ Maipura Grove” of Sequoias. It is a 
very characteristic tree, and is about 87 feet in circumference at 
3 feet from the ground. During the past summer some fine 
photographs have been taken of the “ Calaveras” big trees—the 
first-discovered grove. 
original specimen of P. tuberculatus, Ten. et Guss. The representation of this * 
plant, which according to Tenore and Gussone is given by Boccone (Sic. p. 41, 
tab. 20. fig. 5), isso bad that it can only be guessed at, not determined, 
