Slope was raised from the ocean bed, in recent 

 geologic times, by a mighty geotherm or earth 

 heat-wave, with the Sierra and Cascade Range as 

 its axis of elevation; followed in a later age by 

 another uplift with the Coast Range as its axis; 

 while the long, narrow valley between the ranges 

 was cross-fenced by low mountains into several 

 magnificent parks, principal of which are the val- 

 ley of California, the smaller Willamette valley, 

 and the extensive Puget Sound region. 



Of these, California was assigned first place in 

 the pathway of the southern fugitives, inviting to 

 enter and urging to tarry and form a natural, un- 

 exampled arboretum within her mountain walls, 

 supremely aided thereto by a semi-tropic sun dis- 

 pensing beneficent heat the whole array of 

 factors mentioned conferring to produce the most 

 generous and forcing climate on the face of the 

 earth as magnificently evidenced by this Match- 

 less Forest Endowment ! 



A PROPHECY. 



There is a collateral thought, pregnant with 

 great promise, clearly deducible from this forest 

 phenomenon. Because the physical conditions pro- 

 duping largest and best forms in one of the two 

 organic kingdoms the vegetable prevail now 

 upon the earth in one sequestered region, \ve may 

 believe that the other kingdom the animal and 

 especially the human family, is equally susceptible 

 to the world-excelling stimulus, and we may log- 

 ically expect that this favored clime with the 

 contiguous country it shall dominate is the com- 



( H) 



