SCIENCE. 



FKIDAY, MAY 29, 1885. 



THE MONTEREY PINE AND CYPRESS. 



Botanists and tree-lovers have a special 

 interest in Cupressus macrocarpa and Pinus 

 insignis, on account of their very restricted 

 native habitat, and for their value as ornamen- 

 tal trees. The first, the Monterey cypress, is 

 known in the wild state only on the oceanic 

 edge of that notable coniferous grove which 

 extends for a few miles between the Bay of 

 Montere} T and the narrow inlet of C arm el ; 

 excepting, however, a few trees similarly sit- 

 uated, it is said, near Pescadero, farther north. 

 The large cypress-trees of the Monterey grove, 

 most picturesque in character and in position, 

 are only a dozen or two in number. They are 

 confined to the rock}' and wind-beaten head- 

 land of the immediate shore. In view of their 

 precarious position, it was gratifying to find, 

 at certain points, that a goodly number of 

 thrifty young trees were successfully compet- 

 ing with the pines for a short distance inland. 

 Yet, hemmed in between the slowly encroach- 

 ing ocean on one hand, and the forest of pines 

 on the other, the future of this unique habitat 

 is certainly precarious. Its companion, Pinus 

 insignis, seems capable of holding its ground 

 if left to nature. Besides this grove, in which 

 it predominates, the tree naturally occurs here 

 and there for some distance, perhaps on all 

 the hills around Monterey Bay. The oldest 

 and finest specimens I have seen of it are on 

 the eastern side of the little town, accom- 

 panied by equally noble live-oaks (Quercus 

 agrifolia), and forming that natural park — 

 now adorned by the landscape-gardener's best 

 art, and kept quite in the finish of an English 

 nobleman's ancestral home — in which stands 

 the noted Hotel del Monte. 



It is no part of my object to commend the 

 South Pacific railroad company for the estab- 

 lishment of this attractive resort. Its pro- 

 No. 121. — 1885. 



jectors will doubtless have their reward ; but, 

 considering the lavish outlay, one would think 

 that a pecuniary return will be a long time in 

 coming. But I do wish to commend them for 

 an incidental service to botany and dendrology 

 in rendering this habitat of the Monterey pine 

 and cypress reasonably secure. AYith large 

 and liberal foresight, this company bought the 

 whole grove of Point Pinos and vicinity, sup- 

 plied it with water from Carmel River, and also 

 with about eighteen miles of drives, around the 

 picturesque bluffs, among the hoary cypresses, 

 and through the beautiful forest in various 

 directions, making of the whole a park apper- 

 taining to the hotel, and watchfully caring for 

 its preservation. The grove, fortunately, all 

 belonged to one man, who inherited it : so that 

 its acquisition was practicable, as it certainly 

 was timely ; for the trees would probably have 

 been very soon cut away for lumber and fire- 

 wood, and the ground cut up into building-lots. 

 Lamentable as the destruction of this grove 

 would have been, yet these two trees would not 

 be lost to California. They are extensively 

 planted everywhere near the coast, especially 

 in the southern part of the state, where the}' 

 thrive wonderfully and grow rapidly, in situa- 

 tions that no other coniferous trees could well 

 abide. At Monterey and at San Francisco 

 the Monterey pine is most successfully used, 

 in the manner of Pinus maritima in France, 

 for the conversion of sand-dunes into forest. 

 At Monterey many hundreds of trees, taken 

 from the nursery at a foot or two in height, 

 were growing healthfully when planted upon a 

 sea-beach of drifting sand, hardly beyond the 

 reach of winter's spray. At San Francisco 

 this tree has played a conspicuous part in the 

 conversion of a broad tract of shifting sand, 

 which used to flow over into the town, into a 

 beautiful park, already well furnished with 

 trees and shrubs in great variety, as well as 

 with grassy slopes and lawns, — the just pride 

 of the city. Step by step this verdure and 



