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A TREE'S DIAMOND JUBILEE 



("lEOKGii T. Hastings 



This fall exercises were held in San Diego, California, commem- 

 orating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the discovery of the 

 Torrey Pines, Pinus Torreyana. These trees were discovered in 

 the same year that California was admitted to the Union and are 

 California's birthday trees. First found in April, 1850 by Dr. 

 C. C. Perry, they were named in honor of Dr. John Torrey. It 

 is probable, however, that Dr. Torrey never saw the trees. The 

 original grove, some twenty miles north of San Diego is now the 

 Torrey Pine Preserve, dedicated to the "preservation of the 

 rarest of the pine trees and their companion shrubs and wild 

 flowers." Besides this grove there is known one smaller one on 

 Santa Rosa Island. Where the seeds of the Torrey Pine have 

 been planted in other regions the trees grow tall and straight, 

 not like the twisted, stunted trees on the promontory overlooking 

 the Pacific. The following poem was written in connection with 

 the jubilee celebration. 



THE TORREY PINES 

 By W. B. France 



Out where the old Pacific roars, 



Its breakers voicing a wordless rhyme, 

 Dashing forever on silent shores. 



Like waves of Life on the sands of Time, 

 With far-flung branches and roots that cling 



To painted canyons and steep inclines, 

 Proud of the story they lived to bring, 



They stand — the last of the Torrey Pines. 



Eons ago, when man was young, 



From northern mountains their fathers strayed; 

 Age after age they lived and clung 



To cliffs that torrents and winds have flayed. 

 Fighting for life as years have wrought 



Their handicraft on the world they mould. 

 Gaining strength from the fight they fought, 



Still they stood till their tale was told. 



