Sequoia Sempervirens 



virens (not the Sequoia washingtonia 1 or gigantea The Coast 

 of the Sierra, to which the adjective "big" is usually redwood 

 applied) in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is 

 a cluster of some dozens of stately redwoods from 

 five to twelve feet in diameter and 200 or more feet 

 high. Close set, with their luxuriant foliage lifted 

 far above, they inevitably suggest the pillars of a 

 great cathedral. Second in size only to the giant 

 of the Sierra, this species is the pride and glory of 

 the Coast Ranges from San Luis Obispo to the 

 Oregon Line, though by an interesting feature of 

 distribution one never finds it beyond the reach of 

 fog from the sea. Its chief peculiarity, however, is 

 a sort of longevity not shared by any other conifer. 

 Fire rarely kills it, and from a huge, naked stump 

 springs up a more or less complete circle of daughter 

 trees which rapidly attain considerable size. 



A third and very delightful excursion took us to A noble 

 the bold summit of Monte Diablo, from which we outlook 

 looked over the golden harvest of the San Joaquin 

 to the white-cloaked Sierra a hundred miles away, and, 

 toward the west, across the blue Bay of San Fran- 

 cisco and the green slopes of Tamalpais to the great 

 ocean beyond. The top was then reached only by trail. 

 Our easy ascent was due to the hospitable courtesy 

 of Mr. and Mrs. John F. Boyd, who provided two 

 excellent horses and entertained us over night in their 

 charming rancho home at the foot of the mountain. 



1 The specific name washingtonia is not so old as the more appropriate 

 gigantea, but the latter name had been previously given to a different Sequoia, 

 which turned out to be the common redwood. Fortunately, however, the 

 generic term Sequoia, name of the famous Cherokee Chief who invented an 

 alphabet, holds over Wellingtonia and Washingtonia, later bestowed through 

 misapplied patriotism, the one by an English, the other by an American 

 botanist. 



C 393 3 



