54 CLIMATIC CYCLES AND TREE-GROWTH 



group. The Calaveras Grove of sequoias is privately owned and 

 these specimens were obtained by courtesy of Mrs. Whitesides, in 

 charge at the hotel. 



FIFTH SEQUOIA TRIP. 1925 



The dating of the specimens from the Calaveras Grove led to the 

 conclusion that the tree-records there resemble the Arizona pine-tree 

 records less than the sequoias farther south, instead of more. So it 

 only remained to visit the most southerly grove near Springville and 

 secure better material than already collected there. In 1918, two 

 3,000-year old radials had been secured from the Old Enterprise mill- 

 site. These both cross-identified with trees 50 miles north near the 

 General Grant Park, but while the cross-dating was absolutely reliable, 

 the resemblances were not so close as hoped for and were not equally 

 good in the two trees. No. 23, age 3,100 years and growing near the 

 drainage brook, showed less agreement than No. 22, age 3,000 years, 

 growing near the center of the grove. Accordingly, the trip was made 

 by auto from Pasadena to Springville on August 4, 1925. Mr. Charles 

 A. Elster, of that city, met us and next day took us to his Camp 

 Lookout and sawmill in the pines at an elevation of about 5,000 feet 

 above sea-level. After lunch he drove us up the steep grades, past 

 the old Frazier mill-site of 1885 and the Elster mill-site of 1901, to the 

 Enterprise site of 1898. The Conley mill of 1892 at Brownie Meadow, 

 off the road to the north, was close to D-49, which had been cut by 

 Mr. Elster himself in 1892. Mr. Elster had worked here in the lumber 

 business almost since its beginning and his recollections were of the 

 greatest help. The afternoon was devoted entirely to the selection 

 of suitable stumps for cutting. It seemed advisable to get the very 

 oldest and, if possible, to exceed the previous maximum of 3,200 

 years (but that hope was disappointed). At the same time it was 

 desired to get a range of younger trees in order to develop an improved 

 system of age corrections. 



The next day the cutting of radials began. This was done by 

 two helpers in charge of Mr. P. W. Weirick, of Pasadena, who very 

 kindly assisted me on this trip, thus enabling me to spend the entire 

 time in the selection of specimens. So two days were spent in this 

 way and in securing specimens of pine growth (see p. 88), and on 

 Saturday, the 8th, Mr. Elster took us to Balch 's Park to see the marvel- 

 ous old tree appropriately named Methuselah. That afternoon we 

 returned to Springville and the next day to Pasadena. 



On returning to Tucson, several of these long sequoia records were 

 dated, including one of 2,600 years, but it finally seemed best to 

 postpone the complete study of this material to a time when proper 

 attention could be given to old and prehistoric records in connection 

 with climates of the past. Hence, its further discussion will be reserved 

 for another time. 



