142 Native Habits of Sequoia Gigantea. [zoe 



its rapid growth coupled with its longevity. The largest trees 

 in the Sierra must have reached an age of between 4000 to 

 5000 years. When the Cheops pyramid in Egypt was being 

 constructed our largest Sequoias now standing were already 

 youngsters of respectable size, and when Caesar conquered Gaul 

 the very trees we now gaze on were already older than almost 

 any other tree now extant. 



If we add to its other good qualities those of its ability to stand 

 a very low temperature as well as a very high one, it may be 

 seen that its advantages are indeed many, and that a better tree 

 for memorial planting can hardly be had. But the nature of the 

 Sequoia gigantea is little understood, and to this want of knowl- 

 edge of its nature and the conditions under which it thrives must 

 be laid the many reported failures in growing this tree, failures 

 which are both frequent, alarming, and discouraging. Not one 

 gardener in a million has ever seen the Sequoia gigantea in its 

 native home in the Sierra Nevada, and few of those who have 

 seen it have realized the peculiar conditions under which the 

 tree thrives. That our Sequoia is a declining species can now 

 be little doubted, notwithstanding the efforts and statements 

 of several enthusiasts to the contrary. The Sequoia is a relic 

 of the past, at least as far as California is concerned — a relic of a 

 time when the climate was diflferent from now, when it was 

 moister and cooler than the one we now enjoy. 



As is well known the Sequoia gigantea is found only in 

 groves in the Sierra at altitudes varying from 4000 to 7000 feet, 

 roughly speaking. The northern grove is the lowest, the south- 

 ern grove the highest in elevation. This shows that a certain 

 altitude is required, or rather that certain conditions attending 

 altitudes are needed, for the welfare of the tree. These condi- 

 tions of altitude can be only two — heat and moisture. 



The further north the lower must be the altitude in order 

 to supply the necessary heat; the further south again the higher 

 must be the altitude in order to give the necessary moisture. 

 That the tree in order to propagate itself successfully is greatly 

 dependent on these two factors, may be inferred by a study of 

 the various localities where it is found. It is not necessary to 

 enumerate these here — they have been already commented upon in 



