THE LAND OF LITTLE RAIN 



Yucca arborensis infrequently. Other yuc- 

 cas, cacti, low herbs, a thousand sorts, one 

 finds journeying east from the coastwise 

 hills. There is neither poverty of soil nor 

 species to account for the sparseness of 

 desert growth, but simply that each plant 

 requires more room. So much earth must 

 be preempted to extract so much moisture. 

 The real struggle for existence, the real 

 brain of the plant, is underground ; above 

 there is room for a rounded perfect growth. 

 In Death Valley, reputed the very core of 

 desolation, are nearly two hundred identi- 

 fied species. 



Above the lower tree-line, which is also 

 the snow-line, mapped out abruptly by the 

 sun, one finds spreading growth of pinon, 

 juniper, branched nearly to the ground, lilac 

 and sage, and scattering white pines. 



There is no special preponderance of 

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