NEVADA'S TIMBER BELT 



out at right angles to the trunk and densely 

 clad with the tasseled sprays, take the form 

 of beautiful ornamental crosses. Again, in 

 the same woods you find trees that are made 

 up of several boles united near the ground, and 

 spreading in easy curves at the sides in a plane 

 parallel to the axis of the mountain, with the 

 elegant tassels hung in charming order be- 

 tween them, the whole making a perfect harp, 

 ranged across the main wind-lines just where 

 they may be most effective in the grand storm 

 harmonies. And then there is an infinite vari- 

 ety of arching forms, standing free or in groups, 

 leaning away from or toward each other in 

 curious architectiu-al structures, — innumer- 

 able tassels drooping under the arches and 

 radiating above them, the outside glowing in 

 the light, masses of deep shade beneath, giving 

 rise to effects marvelously beautiful, — while 

 on the roughest ledges of crumbUng limestone 

 are lowly old giants, five or six feet in diameter, 

 that have braved the storms of more than a 

 thousand years. But, whether old or young, 

 sheltered or exposed to the wildest gales, this 

 tree is ever found to be irrepressibly and ex- 

 travagantly picturesque, offering a richer and 

 more varied series of forms to the artist than 

 any other species I have yet seen. 



One of the most interesting mountain excur- 

 177 



