THE FORESTS OF THE YOSEMITE PARK 113 



is plenty of sunshine and other conditions are 

 favorable, it is a massive symmetrical spire, 

 formed of a strong straight shaft clad with innu- 

 merable branches, which are divided again and 

 again into stout branchlets laden with bright 

 shining needles and green or purple cones. 

 Where the growth is at all close half or more of 

 the trunk is branchless. The species attains its 

 greatest size and most majestic form in open 

 groves on the deep, well-drained soil of lake 

 basins at an elevation of about four thousand 

 feet. There nearly all the old trees are over two 

 hundred feet high, and the heavy, leafy, much- 

 divided branches sumptuously clothe the trunk 

 almost to the ground. Such trees are easily 

 climbed, and in going up the winding stairs of 

 knotty limbs to the top you will gain a most tell- 

 ing and memorable idea of the height, the rich- 

 ness and intricacy of the branches, and the mar- 

 velous abundance and beauty of the long shining 

 elastic foliage. In tranquil weather, you will see 

 the firm outstanding needles in calm content, 

 shimmering and throwing off keen minute rays 

 of light like lances of ice ; but when heavy winds 

 are blowing, the strong towers bend and wave in 

 the blast with eager wide-awake enthusiasm, and 

 every tree in the grove glows and flashes in one 

 mass of white sunfire. 



Both the yellow and sugar pines grow rapidly 

 on good soil where they are not crowded. At 



