FORESTS OF THE PACIFIC COAST 



typical. One of the species, the Monterey cypress 

 (Cupressus macrocarpa) survives by clinging to 

 the very edge of the continental land margin. It 

 has assumed highly picturesque shapes on the edses 

 of the cliffs and is nowhere found more than 350 

 yards from the ocean shore. (See PI. XXTTT.) While 

 this species has not the power to extend itself along 

 the coast, or inland over the Coast Ranee hills away 

 from its present home, it yet lends itself to horticul- 

 tural extension and is grown not only in various parts 

 of the United States, but also in Europe, New Zea- 

 land and elsewhere. Indeed it has the most ex- 

 tensive horticultural distribution of any Californian 

 species. The seeds are sufficiently viable, and if 

 favored artificially during the critical or seedling 

 stapp the voung plant will develop into an adult. 



The Monterey pine (Pinns radiata) has a similar 

 interest. It forms the local forest at Monterev and 

 also occurs in a number of other "islands" along the 

 coast. It ^rows rapidly on thin soils under a favor- 

 able rainfall, and has a wide horticultural distri- 

 bution. A small colony of the Gowen cvpress 

 (Cupressus govenfana) and another of the Bishop 

 nine (Pinus mnricata) occur in the heart of the 

 Monterev nine forest, a little west of old Monterey 

 town. Both of these species are also confined to a 

 limited number of rather small "islands" along or 

 near the coast. 



The Bishop pine is an excellent example of a 

 fire-type pine. Its behavior under fire conditions 

 mav be seen to great advantage near Point Beves 

 at Inverness, a three-hours' journey by local train 

 from San Francisco. The small cones are borne 

 on the tree in great numbers. They persist for 

 periods of fifteen to twentv-five years or more, 

 never, or rarelv, opening except under the influence 

 of the fire which destroys the forest. Under this 

 heat the cones gradually open and the area of the 

 Bishop pine is thus promptly resown with its own 

 seed. Most pines produce one or only^twp or^ three 

 cones on a season's shoot. This species is biologi- 

 cally one of the most interesting of our pines since 

 it produces as many as five cones in a circle, and 

 commonly two or three circles. More significant 

 still, the^cones are produced at a very early age, 

 when the tree is only seven or eight years old, thus 

 guarding further against extinction by fire. Near 

 Inverness are small areas consumed bv fire at dif- 

 ferent times, so that pure stands, each of a given 

 age, are found in close proximity, as well as many 

 old isolated trees, interesting architecturally, which 

 grow in the wind-gaps in the hills. 



165 



