WILD GARDENS OF THE YOSEMITE PARK 155 



finest feature of these forest gardens is Lilium 

 parvum. It varies greatly in size, the tallest 

 being from six to nine feet high, with splendid 

 racemes of ten to fifty small orange-colored flow- 

 ers, which rock and wave with great dignity 

 above the other flowers in the infrequent winds 

 that fall over the protecting wall of trees. 

 Though rather frail-looking it is strong, reaching 

 prime vigor and beauty eight thousand feet above 

 the sea, and in some places venturing as high as 

 eleven thousand. 



Calochortus, or Mariposa tulip, is a unique 

 genus of many species confined to the California 

 side of the continent ; charming plants, somewhat 

 resembling the tulips of Europe, but far finer. 

 The richest calochortus region lies below the 

 western boundary of the Park ; still five or six 

 species are included. C. Nuttallii is common on 

 moraines in the forests of the two-leaved pine; 

 and C. cseruleus and nudus, very slender, lowly 

 species, may be found in moist garden spots near 

 Yosemite. C. albus, with pure white flowers, 

 growing in shady places among the foothill 

 shrubs, is, I think, the very loveliest of all the 

 lily family, — a spotless soul, plant saint, that 

 every one must love and so be made better. It 

 puts the wildest mountaineer on his good behav- 

 ior. With this plant the whole world would seem 

 rich though none other existed. Next after Calo- 

 chortus, Brodisea is the most interesting genus. 



