55 
228 NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
have OTcat facts in Califoruia that must be believed sooner or later.'' 
We wish our author had enumerated amongst the "great facts" the 
extraordiuary size attained by many of the fruits and kitchen vegetables 
of that country. Some of them are indeed objects of " wonder and 
cm'iosity. 
It was lately announced in the Linnean Society's Journal (viii. p, 374) 
by Professor W. N. Brewer, that in 1864 it had been discovered that 
about lat. 36° or 37° on the western banks of the Sierra Nevada, the 
Wellingtonlas ''are very abundant along a belt at 5000-7COO feet alt. 
for a distance of more than twenty-five miles, sometimes in groves, at 
others scattered through the forests in great numbers. . . . The largest 
tree I saw was 106 feet in circumference at four feet from the ground. 
It had lost some buttresses by fire; it must have been at least 115 or 
120 feet when eutire ; it is 276 feet high. The Indians tell of a much 
larger tree, which I did not see." The fear that this species might 
become extinct, expressed by some persons when we knew only the 
Calaveras Grove, is therefore quite unfounded. Additional proof of its 
abundance is furnished by the volume now before us, wliere the author 
has brought together the various accounts given of the Wellingtonias at 
the Frezno and Mariposa (misspelt *' Maipura" in the Linnean Journal) 
groves. The size of the principal trees of the Mariposa grove was 
ascertained by Mr. Clark and Colonel Warren, and first appeared in the 
' California Tarmer.' 
" The first tree was * The Eambler,' and measuring it 3^ feet from the groimcl, 
we found it 80 feet in circumference ; close to the ground, 102 feet ; and, care- 
fully surveyed, 260 feet high. Tree No. 2, nearly 50 feet in circumference. 
No. 3 (at the spring), 90 feet, 3 J feet from tlie ground; 102 at the ground; 
and 300 feet high. Nos, 4 and 5 (' The Sisters ') measured 82 and 87 feet in 
^* * circumference, and 225 feet high/ Many of the trees had lost portions of their 
tops, hj the storms that had swept over them. 
"The whole number measured, was one hundred and fifty-five, and these 
comprise but about half the group, which we estimate cover about two to three 
hiindi-ed acres, and lie in a triangular form. Some of the trees first meet your 
view in the vale of the mountain ; thence rise south-easterly and north-westerly, 
till you find yourself gazing upon the neighboiu-Ing pohits, some ten miles from 
you, whose tops are still covered with their winter buows. The following are 
the numbers and measru^ment of the trees : — 
*' 1 tree, 102 feet in circumference, " 1 tree, 72 feet in circumference. 
1 tree, 97 feet do. 3 trees, 70 feet each do. 
1 tree, 92 feet do. . 1 tree, 68 feet do. 
3 ti*ees, 7G feet each do. 1 tree, 66 feet do. 
