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THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



ground. As a result, there is practically no reproduction in the northern 

 groves. By the most diligent search the writer found only one or two five- 

 year-old bigtree seedlings in the South Calaveras grove, where storm had 

 made an opening in the forest and a ground fire had exposed a little mineral 

 soil. Apparently good use had been made of the first opportunity for repro- 

 duction, for the young bigtrees were vigorous in the full enjoyment of the sun. 



Wherever in the southern groves lumbering and fire have opened up the 

 forest and exposed the mineral earth, an abundance of young bigtrees is 

 always found near seed trees, unless, of course, fire has destroyed them. 

 The dependence of this tree for its reproduction on direct sunlight and open 

 soil is particularly evident in the Tule River canons where very open stands 

 of large bigtrees have invariably seeded up the washed gravelly soil. 



It is evident that under favorable , soil and light conditions the big- 

 tree is not lacking in reproductive energy, and that under these conditions 

 it is holding its own in competition with other trees. Although it is but 

 meagrely represented in the few scattered groups now preserved, the species 

 seems still to possess that strong inherent reproductive power that permits 

 survival of the fit. 



Typical appfarance of land near a sawmill whore the bigtree forest has been cut. 

 None of tbo government's bigtrees are being cut at present 



