126 FOREST TREES OF CALIFORNIA. 



beholds this pinnacle of his hopes towering above the long 

 verdant line of various trees that wind along the vale, 

 suddenly he hails his hopeless or hope-deferred companions 

 with the joyous note of triumph, for lo, the truth-telling 

 tree! "That candid and honest old alder there never lies." 

 Yonder green tent is ever pitched above living waters — sym- 

 bol of sacred truth ; nor can any false flattering streams lure 

 her above the pure perennial fountain head, where, like the 

 immortal nine, she may forever bathe in everlasting springs. 

 No, nor does the sacrifice of the tree banish the timber. 

 With the more real Naiads of flesh and blood, in the form of 

 washboard, bowl, or machine, they still play there merrily, 

 " all on a washing day." Like the willows, their multiplied 

 shallow roots preserve margins from the wear and tear of 

 aggressive streams, and during the hotter portions of the 

 year, shelter, cool, and sweeten them, and together with the 

 falling leaves, infuse and tone sluggish and stagnant waters. 

 It is certainly worthy of special note, that like most mineral 

 waters, stock always relish these discolored pools best, The 

 flesh of trout, then and there, acquires an aldery-tinged color 

 and quality. The leaves are of some repute as fodder, the 

 bark for tanning, and with twigs, tags, and young wood, as a 

 tonic, in teas, beers, etc, ; for diseases of the skin, as detersive 

 and expectorant, and a gargle in ailments of the throat; for 

 ointments, etc.; colors green, red, brown, yellow, and black, 

 and sundry intermediate tints, according to the treatment, 



The light soft velvet} r wood is at first white ; freshly exposed 

 to the air, the sappy chips become red; the timber, perma- 

 nently of a delicate creamy color; the closely interwoven 

 fibres render the texture homogeneous, and its tenacity pre- 

 vents splitting, although not of the class of tough timbers, 

 which greatly adapts it to such uses as similar woods are 

 applied, viz, sculpture of wood carvers, machinery turnery, 

 and for furniture and cabinet purposes, etc. The knotty 

 parts and roots furnish choice solid or veneered curled orna- 

 mental work; previously immersed in mineral springs, it 

 becomes almost imperishable, or buried in bogs of black 

 peaty muck for a few months, with added lime, in these 

 swamp water pits, and then, when taken out slowly seasoned, 

 smoked, and the furniture well varnished lasts for genera- 

 tions, quite unmolested by insects — when long lain in these 

 peat bogs it becomes black like ebony. In a large way it 

 is highly esteemed as piles for the foundations of bridges, 

 and the like water-structures ; kept constantly under water 

 in mines, flumes, pumps, water-logs, fishbarrels, boats, and 

 canoes, etc., is exceedingly durable. Finally, among the 

 thousand uses, the long slender fibrous roots, when split, 

 serve for making baskets ; but too many good uses have 

 already been noted. Illustrious old Alder! Associated with 



