THE FOEESTS 223 



Chamcecyparis Lawsoniana is a magnificent tree 

 in the coast ranges, but small in the Sierra. It 

 is found only well to the northward along the 

 banks of cool streams on the upper Sacramento 

 toward Mount Shasta. Only a few trees of this 

 species, as far as I have seen, have as yet gained 

 a place in the Sierra woods. It has evidently 

 been derived from the coast range by way of the 

 tangle of connecting mountains at the head of the 

 Sacramento Valley. 



In shady dells and on cool stream banks of the 

 northern Sierra we also find the Yew (Taxus bre- 

 vifolia). 



The interesting Nutmeg Tree (Torreya Calif or - 

 nica) is sparsely distributed along the western flank 

 of the range at an elevation of about 4000 feet, mostly 

 in gulches and canons. It is a small, prickly leaved, 

 glossy evergreen, like a conifer, from twenty to fifty 

 feet high, and one to two feet in diameter. The 

 fruit resembles a green-gage plum, and contains 

 one seed, about the size of an acorn, and like a 

 nutmeg, hence the common name. The wood is 

 fine-grained and of a beautiful, creamy yellow 

 color like box, sweet-scented when dry, though the 

 green leaves emit a disagreeable odor. 



Betula occidentalis^ the only birch, is a small, 

 slender tree restricted to the eastern flank of the 

 range along stream-sides below the pine-belt, es 

 pecially in Owen's Valley. 



Alder, Maple, and NuttalPs Flowering Dogwood 

 make beautiful bowers over swift, cool streams at 

 an elevation of from 3000 to 5000 feet, mixed 

 more or less with willows and cotton wood; and 



