A THOUSAND-YEAR PINE 



been made with some edged tool 

 sharper than any possessed by the In- 

 dians, it at least seems probable that 

 they were made by the Spaniards. 

 At any rate, from the year 1540 

 until the day of his death, Old Pine 

 carried these scars on his instep. 



As the average yearly growth of the 

 old pine was about the same as in trees 

 similarly situated at the present time, 

 I suppose that climatic conditions in 

 his early days must have been similar 

 to the climatic conditions of to-day. 

 His records indicate periods of even 

 tenor of climate, a year of extremely 

 poor conditions, occasionally a year 

 crowned with a bountiful wood har- 

 vest. From 1540 to 1762 I found little 

 of special interest. In 1762, however, 

 the season was not regular. After the 

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