THE TREES OF AMERICA. 15 



height, and ninety-six feet in circumference. This measurement corresponds with 

 many others which have been made of it, and we are also assured by several gentle- 

 men who have visited it, that our portrait is very correct. As will be seen, it has 

 been broken at some distance from the top. By continuing the sides, they wdl 

 be found to meet at a distance of four hundred and fifty feet from the base, which 

 would make this tree higher than any now standing, of which we have an account. 

 It is said that one has been discovered, lying prostrate, which must have been, 

 at least, five hundred feet in height. The top was partly destroyed. It is diffi- 

 cult to form an adequate conception of the magnitude of these enormous trees. 

 It will be seen that the base of some of them covers an area equal to that of a 

 pretty good sized dAvelling house. The " Father Pine," as it is called, aside from 

 its branches, would make more than a thousand cords of wood. Dr. Hunter, in 

 speaking of one of the gigantic English oaks, which measured forty-eight feet in 

 circumference, says, " When compared to this, all other trees are but children 

 of the forest." This enormous oak would scarcely make a branch for one of 

 these gigantic Califomians. A drawing of this oak and the Boston elm is shown 

 in the plate, drawn on the same scale as the redwood. 



Mr. Frank Marryat tells us that the wood of this tree, which is so light and 

 easy to work, is very durable. From the specimens which we have seen, we 

 should not judge it to be more than two thirds as heavy as white pine. The red- 

 wood bark, which is a foot in thickness, is penetrated towards the top of the tree 

 with numerous holes, made by a kind of starling called carpentero — the carpen- 

 ter. These birds fill their cells with acorns, for winter use. They are always at 

 work, when they are not fighting among themselves, or engaged in scolding the 

 gray squirrel, who frequently pillages their stores. When the squirrel ascends 

 the redwood, he is immediately surrounded by the carpenteros, who, well knowing 

 his errand, do their best to drive him away. The squirrel takes no notice of 

 their angry remonstrances against his invasion of their rights, but chooses the 

 acom which suits him best, whisks his silvery tad from side to side, and turns 

 his head with a comical look of composure, as if he were doing the most innocent 

 and commendable action imaginable. The birds, however, do not view the matter 

 in the same light, for they keep such a screaming over the " rascally business," 



