158 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA 



ax, in the shape of irregular, crisp, candy-like ker 

 nels, which are crowded together in masses of con 

 siderable size, like clusters of resin-beads. When 

 fresh, it is perfectly white and delicious, but, be 

 cause most of the wounds on which it is found have 

 been made by fire, the exuding sap is stained on 

 the charred surface, and the hardened sugar be 

 comes brown. Indians are fond of it, but on account 

 of its laxative properties only small quantities may 

 be eaten. Bears, so fond of sweet things in gen 

 eral, seem never to taste it ; at least I have failed to 

 find any trace of their teeth in this connection. 



No lover of trees will ever forget his first meeting 

 with the Sugar Pine, nor will he afterward need a 

 poet to call him to " listen what the pine-tree saith." 

 In most pine-trees there is a sameness of expression, 

 which, to most people, is apt to become monotonous ; 

 for the typical spiry form, however beautiful, affords 

 but little scope for appreciable individual character. 

 The Sugar Pine is as free from conventionalities 

 of form and motion as any oak. No two are alike, 

 even to the most inattentive observer; and, notwith 

 standing they are ever tossing out their immense 

 arms in what might seem most extravagant gestures, 

 there is a majesty and repose about them that pre 

 cludes all possibility of the grotesque, or even pic 

 turesque, in their general expression. They are the 

 priests of pines, and seem ever to be addressing the 

 surrounding forest. The Yellow Pine is found 

 growing with them on warm hillsides, and the 

 "White Silver Fir on cool northern slopes ; but, noble 

 as these are, the Sugar Pine is easily king, and 

 spreads his arms above them in blessing while they 



