In the Sierra 



level whorls of five mostly, each branch as 

 exact in its divisions as a fern frond, and 

 thickly covered by the leaves, making a 

 rich plush over all the tree, excepting only 

 the trunk and a small portion of the main 

 limbs. The leaves turn upward, especially 

 on the branchlets, and are stiff and sharp, 

 pointed on all the upper portion of the 

 tree. They remain on the tree about eight 

 or ten years, and as the growth is rapid it 

 is not rare to find the leaves still in place 

 on the upper part of the axis where it is 

 three to four inches in diameter, wide apart 

 of course, and their spiral arrangement beau- 

 tifully displayed. The leaf-scars are con- 

 spicuous for twenty years or more, but 

 there is a good deal of variation in different 

 trees as to the thickness and sharpness of 

 the leaves. 



After the excursion to Mt. Hoffman I 

 had seen a complete cross-section of the 

 Sierra forest, and I find that Abies magnified 

 is the most symmetrical tree of all the 



[ 225 ] 



