140 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFOKNIA 



significance as manifested in the harmonies of their 

 distribution and varying aspects throughout the 

 seasons, as they stand arrayed in their winter garb 

 rejoicing in storms, putting forth their fresh leaves 

 in the spring while steaming with resiny fragrance, 

 receiving the thunder-showers of summer, or repos 

 ing heavy-laden with ripe cones in the rich sungold 

 of autumn. For knowledge of this kind one must 

 dwell with the trees and grow with them, without 

 any reference to time in the almanac sense. 



The distribution of the general forest in belts is 

 readily perceived. These, as we have seen, extend 

 in regular order from one extremity of the range to 

 the other ; and however dense and somber they may 

 appear in general views, neither on the rocky 

 heights nor down in the leafiest hollows will you 

 find anything to remind you of the dank, malarial 

 selvas of the Amazon and Orinoco, with their 

 "boundless contiguity of shade," the monotonous 

 uniformity of the Deodar forests of the Himalaya, 

 the Black Forest of Europe, or the dense dark woods 

 of Douglas Spruce where rolls the Oregon. The 

 giant pines, and firs, and Sequoias hold their arms 

 open to the sunlight, rising above one another on 

 the mountain benches, marshaled in glorious array, 

 giving forth the utmost expression of grandeur and 

 beauty with inexhaustible variety and harmony. 



The inviting openness of the Sierra woods is one 

 of their most distinguishing characteristics. The 

 trees of all the species stand more or less apart in 

 groves, or in small, irregular groups, enabling one to 

 find a way nearly everywhere, along sunny colon 

 nades and through openings that have a smooth, 



