MR. IIAETWEG'S JOURNAL OF A MISSION TO CALIFORNIA. 223 



near Bear Creek, where we encamped towards evening in a grove 

 of Pinus Sabiniana and Oaks. The vegetation here differed in 

 nothing from that observed on the right bank of the Chuba on a 

 former visit. Calochortus, No. 306, which had been very com- 

 mon throughout the Sacramento Valley, was still in flower here, 

 the white variety being more frequent than the yellow. 



Early the following morning we were en route again, passing 

 through an interminable wood of Pinus Sabiniana and Oaks. 

 Here I observed a pretty little Allium, No. 357, with purple 

 flowers ; Asarum, No. 364 ; Viola, 365 ; V. 366 ; Polemo- 

 nium (?), No. 382 ; Hosackia bicolor ; Mimulus bicolor, No. 

 376; and M. 377 — the two last luxuriating in the sandy bed of 

 dried up rivulets. Ascending the gradual acclivity, we left the 

 region of Pinus Sabiniana, and entered that of Pinus Benthami- 

 ana, which seems to be the characteristic of the upper region. 



Some trees of this noble Pine attain an enormous size. The 

 largest I measured were 28 feet in circumference, and 220 feet 

 high. Of equal dimensions is P. Lambertiana, which however 

 does not constitute masses by itself, but is tliinly scattered among 

 the former. The same is the case with Thuja, No. 402, which 

 rises to the height of 130 feet, by 12 to' 15 in circumference. 



Few plants occur in these Pine tracts, the principal being 

 Cyclobothra, No. 370; C. No. 371; C. No. 372; Calliprora, 

 No. 384 ; Iris, 373 ; Papaveracea, No. 383 ; and, in shaded 

 places, llubus, 374; Philadelphus, 375; Spiraea, 381; Pyrus 

 florida. No. 387 ; Rosacea, No. 392 ; and Taxus, No. 401 — the 

 latter, judging from the few specimens I saw, attaining only the 

 size of a shrub or small tree. 



On the fourth day we reached Bear Valley, a beautiful little 

 mountain valley surrounded by a lofty ridge of mountains, which 

 is well wooded with Pinus Bentliamiana. The north side of the 

 valley was still covered with snow. On the south side, however, 

 a few spring flowers had made their appearance, among which I 

 observed Pseonia californica, with brown petals edged with orange ; 

 Compositae, No. 398; ? ?, No. 395; Ranunculus, No. 363; 

 Corydalis, No. 362 ; and Nicotiana, No. 367. A new species 

 of Pine, P. No. 413, occurred in the valley, of which I only saw 

 two trees of dwarf growth, probably stragglers from a more 

 northern latitude. The leaves stand in pairs, and are three 

 inches long ; cones two inches long, by one broad. In general 

 appearance tlie free is not unlike a young Scotch fir. The cones 

 at the time of my visit were open, and the seeds had fallen out. 



The upper end of the valley is bounded by a mass of granite, 

 terminating in a precipice 800 feet in depth, below which the 

 Chuba river is winding its way, appearing like a sheet of foam. 

 In warm and sheltered situations, wiiere the snow had melted, I 



