201 



and cleanly cross-cut, so as to fully expose the rings. From a 

 partial count at the end of one of the Imnied trunks, I judged that 

 there might be from 1,800 to 2,000 annual lings. There are more, 

 apparently, than in the stump of the Calaveras tree. 



The chmate of the locality is very similar to the Calaveras grove. 

 In summer, it is warm and dry. In winter, the snow falls and 

 rests about sLx feet deep, but nearly ail disappears bv the first of 

 May. Rain seldom falls. This will account for the great depth of 

 soil ^'hich hides the rocks. The snow melts gradually, and runs 

 off without cutting the ground. At the Calaveras grove, the 

 gi'ound appears to be lower aud much more wet during the summer 

 than at the Mariposa ; and at the latter, the trees are more widely 

 spread on the slopes and high knobs of ground, where there is good 

 drainage. 



Mr. Clark, who is very familiar with the trees and has been col- 

 lecting their seeds, says that the cones require two years to mature 

 or yield seeds that will gei-minate. Formerly, trees of medium size 

 were cut down so that their cones could be reached, but it is found 

 that squirrels cut off and dro]) the cones in great numbers for food. 

 By visiting the trees often, a plentiful supply may be picked up 

 from the ground. 



The number of trees of fair size in the upper grove is said to be 

 four hundred and thirty ; in the lower, nearly two hundred, or 

 about six hundred in all. There are about two hundred at the 

 Calaveras grove, which is about fifty miles distant to the north- 

 west. A tliird grove, containing about five hundred trees, has 

 been found eight miles south-east of the Mariposa trees, and in 

 Fresno county. Some trees in this grove are probably taller than 

 any in the Mariposa, being in a valley sheltered from high winds. 

 Mr. Clark, who has visited them, says that tAvo of the largest 

 measure each eighty-one feet around the trunk three feet above 

 the ground. Another grove is reported further south and east 

 upon the Kaweeab or four Creeks — or about fifty mile i'rom Visa- 

 lia. It thus appears that there is a zone or belt of these interesting 

 trees parallel with the crest of the Sierra Nevada, and at about the 

 same elevation on the flank of the chain ; much broken it is true 

 by the many river-valleys and deep cailons, but indicating a conti- 

 nuity ])efore the river valleys ^vere excavated to their present great 

 depth. 



These giant trees are well known and much admired by the 

 Indians, who call them Wa-tvo-nah — meaning Great Tree, 



