THE FIGHT AT THE TIMBER-LINE 



189 



Photograph by A. J. Baker 

 GHOSTS OF" THOSE TREES WHICH FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, BUT WERE CUT OFF IN 

 THEIR PRIME: ON THE SLOPES OF MOUNT CLEVELAND, MONTANA 



borrowed freely. Telling of the great 

 forest areas that stretch along the Pacific 

 Coast from California to Alaska, he re- 

 lates how the trees arrange themselves 

 with military precision, each species in 

 strict accord with the laws of altitude 

 and climate. Where low gaps in the 

 Coast Range give free access to the west- 

 ern wind, the trees retreat toward the 

 base of the mountains. 



As one proceeds northward the conifers 

 advance toward the coast, always seek- 

 ing, whether climbing the mountain or 

 approaching the sea, the conditions of 



terrain and climate best suited to their 

 plan of campaign and style of attack. 

 The tree that finds itself at home on the 

 shores of Puget Sound, climbs up 6.000 

 feet into the Sierra ~ in the latitude of 

 middle California. 



THE MILITARY HIGHWAYS FOLLOW THE 

 HOLLOWS 



The roads by which the trees advance 

 to the timber-line usually follow the hol- 

 lows that reach up toward the heights; 

 for the howling winds that sweep over 

 the unprotected ridges by which the 



