88 WEST-AMERICAN 



The Lone Torrey Pine 



Is doubtless the struggling vestige of a once vast 

 forest occupying a far northern region, but, driven 

 southward by the glacial ice, and attempting to return, 

 is now stranded on this hospitable shore; or, as some 

 will declare, these singular trees may be precursors 

 of a coming, aggressive, conquering species destined 

 to reforest the southern coast hills. 



The Heavy, Spine- Cone Pines 



Present the ponderous, massive, and coarse, also the 

 protecting and defending principles in the multifari- 

 ous Pine family. Inhabiting hot, scorched regions ? 

 contending there with dwarfed oaks and chaparral, 

 these trees are seldom slim and feeble, but rather 

 broadened out and freely branching, ever holding 

 aloft their enormous clusters of fruit. What end is 

 subserved by the exceeding massiveness and the 

 formidable armament of their cones? That it is a 

 special adaptation of conditions to environment, of 

 armament to the needs of battle, we may be sure. 

 Doubtless a thick, strong, hard investment of carpel- 

 lary scales defends the ovules from intense heat better 

 than would a light one. Then, too (for there's no 

 end of speculation in this direction), it may be these 

 scales are a defense against the attacks of insects that 

 infest, and often render abortive the seed crops of 



