246 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFOKNIA 



sooner or later, have been blown down. But when 

 the storm is over, and we behold the same forests 

 tranquil again, towering fresh and unscathed in 

 erect majesty, and consider w^hat centuries of storms 

 have fallen upon them since they were first planted, 

 hail, to break the tender seedlings ; lightning, to 

 scorch and shatter; snow, winds, and avalanches, 

 to crush and overwhelm, while the manifest re 

 sult of all this wild storm-culture is the glorious 

 perfection we behold; then faith in Nature's for 

 estry is established, and we cease to deplore the 

 violence of her most destructive gales, or of any 

 other storm-implement whatsoever. 



There are two trees in the Sierra forests that are 

 never blown down, so long as they continue in 

 sound health. These are the Jumper and the 

 Dwarf Pine of the summit peaks. Their stiff, 

 crooked roots grip the storm-beaten ledges like 

 eagles' claws, while their lithe, cord-like branches 

 bend round compliantly, offering but slight holds 

 for winds, however violent. The other alpine coni 

 fers the Needle Pine, Mountain Pine, Two-leaved 

 Pine, and Hemlock Spruce are never thinned out 

 by this agent to any destructive extent, on account 

 of their admirable toughness and the closeness of 

 their growth. In general the same is true of the 

 giants of the lower zones. The kingly Sugar Pine, 

 towering aloft to a height of more than 200 feet, 

 offers a fine mark to storm- winds; but it is not 

 densely foliaged, and its long, horizontal arms 

 swing round compliantly in the blast, like tresses 

 of green, fluent algae in a brook; while the Silver 

 Firs in most places keep their ranks well together 



