FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 37 



Antelope Valley southward ; West Walker River region eastward to within 8 miles of 

 Bridgeport; westward on river into mountains to Leavitt Meadow (7,150 feet); east, 

 side of Bridgeport Valley to west end of Mono Lake ; Mono Basin and lower slopes west 

 of lake up slope on entrance to Bloody Canyon, also on east and southeast sides of 

 lake; south of Mammoth region on hills about Long Valley and between Long and Round 

 valleys. Inyo County: Hills at head of Hound Valley; east slopes and summit of hills 

 north of Bishop, and opposite bottom slope of White Mountains (near Benton I, here down 

 to upper edge of valley (about 5,500 feet altitude i ; northeast of Benton over plateau at 

 about 7,000 feet (between California and Nevada i ; south of Bishop higher on White 

 Mountains, forming belt on middle slope, and rising until lower limit on an east slope is 

 6,700 feet; west side Owens Valley forms a belt between 6,000 and 8,000 feet; l'anamint 

 Range west of Death Valley, common in juniper belt on summit, and ranging (in basin 

 above Wild Rose Spring) on northwest slope of Telescope Peak, between about <;.4oo and 

 9,000 feet. On Providence Mountains i west Colorado Riven above 5.000 feet. On 

 southern Cross ranges at Tehachapi Pass (Tehacbapi Mountains) down to .",.700 feet; 

 on Piute Mountains: near bead of Caliente Creek above 4,000 feet; north part of Teha- 

 chapi I'ass i Mohave Desert side Tehachapi Basin) at 3,700 feet; lower slopes of Telia 

 cbapi Mountain, Antelope Canyon. Tejon Mountains (between Castac Lake and Cuddys 

 Peak) in Cudahay Canyon; at Tejon Canyon and on hills near Fort Tejon. at 4,000 to 

 6. (too feet. Occurs also on east base of Mount Linos, in San Emigdio and Crazier moun- 

 tains at 2. Goo to 7,900 feet, and on San Rafael Mountains, above 3,000 feet. Not on 

 southern mountains of Sierra Madre. but on Mount Islip and other north slopes westward 

 to Big Rock Creek : one tree known on Mount Lowe and another near mouth of Santa 

 Ana Canyon. In San Bernardino Mountains, abundant on north slopes, in northeastern 

 part, at 4,000 to 5,0110 — sometimes up to 7,000 feet, and extending westward to Mohave 

 River. From San Jacinto Mountains to Santa Rosa Mountains it occurs on desert slopes 

 above 4,200 feet, extending eastward to El Toro Mountain and Palm Springs on Colorado 

 Desert, here growing at an elevation as low as 2,000 feet. Summits of Coast Range near 

 Mexican boundary and .Tacumba Spring (23 miles east of Campo) at 3,000 feet. 



Lowed California. — On east slopes (below 4,500 feet) from central table-lands to 

 plains of Colorado Desert and several miles south of Mexican boundary. 



The detailed range of this pine east of the Pacific region will be dealt with in 

 a future publication. 



OCCURRENCE. 



Arid low mountain slopes, canyon sides, foothills, and mesas. 



Requirements of soil moisture and quality of soil similar to those of associates, juni- 

 pers and chaparral, and are less than those of other conifers in its range. Commonly in 

 coarse, gravelly soils, shallow deposits overlying granite, limestone, or shale, often in 

 crevices of rocks. 



Usually with other species, but frequently in pure, open stands over large areas. 

 Sparingly in chaparral; commonly with mountain mahogany, California juniper, oaks, tree 

 yuccas, or occasionally with straggling white fir and Jeffrey pine. Largest growth and 

 pure stands mainly at lower elevations. 



Climatic CONDITIONS. — Endures very great aridity, characterized by high tempera- 

 ture, rapid evaporation, light precipitation, and little humidity. Rainfall varies from 

 about 16 inches in North to less than 5 inches in South. Snowfall, 4 feet in Sierras, 

 but absent or very slight over much of tree's range. Temperature ranges from —2° F. in 

 Sierras to 122° F. in Mohave Desert. In desert mountains of southeastern California 

 and Nevada it endures combined moisture and beat from February to May. extreme 

 drought from June to November, and extreme cold from December to January. 



Tolerance. — Very intolerant throughout life; but Beedlings appear to grow faster if 

 protected for several years from hot winds. 



Reproduction.- Bears seed abundantly about every year. Wingless seeds fall oear 

 tree. Largely eaten by birds and squirrels and collected by Indians and whites for food. 

 Exposed soil best seed bed. Reproduction usually very open or scattered — never dense. 



Bristle-cone Pine. 

 Pinus aristata Engelmann. 



DISTINGUISH I N(. CHARACTERISTICS. 



Bristle-cone pine, an alpine species, and only a straggler in the Pacific country, 

 is known in the field as "fox-tail pine" and "hickory pine," hut since these 



