

ESSAY UPON REDWOOD. 163 



tion, it should prove a distinct genus from the common red- 

 wood, it should be called Washinglonia. Mr. Lobb was, 

 therefore, well aware of this conclusion, and the deliberations 

 pending before the Academy's committee on the subject. 

 These facts are well known to the old charter members of 

 that scientific institution, several of whom are still living. 

 It is, therefore, the earliest among authoritative common 

 names, and claims precedence, by all courtesy, in point of 

 time, as also in appropriateness of honor. 



Imperfect specimens were presented to the Academy in 

 1852, or early in 1853, and recognized as probably belonging 

 with the redwood. Finally, flowering specimens coming to 

 hand, Drs. Kellogg and Behr rightly confirmed and pub- 

 lished it as Taxodium of Don, a congener of the redwood, 

 which it was, according to that authority, May 7th, 1855, 

 three months before Torrey's reference, adding a new spe- 

 cies giganteum. 



To the historian of the future, who will not be likely to 

 stick in names, and slip in mere technicalities, they may well 

 confide their just claims. (See Pro. Cal. Acad. Sci., vol. 

 Ill, 1863-8, pp. 399, etc.) 



A full history of this wonderful tree cannot be given 

 here. Suffice to say, briefly, (for in this we chiefly collate 

 from J. Muir, who has best said, substantially): 



The great Sequoian timber belt lies along the Sierras 

 upon the first exposed mountain-side moraines of recent 

 retiring glaciers, that face the Pacific from Calaveras on 

 the north, to near the head of Deer Creek on the south, 

 a distance of 200 miles, or just above 38 N. to a little 



