BIG TEEES OF CALIFORNIA. ' 11 



KINGS RIVER AND KAWEAIT RIVER GROVE. 



This belt of trees, for grove it can hardly be called, occurs about 30 miles north- 

 northeast of Visalia, on the tributaries of the Kings and KaMeah rivers, and on the 

 divide between. They are scattered over the slopes and on the valleys, but are 

 larger in the depressions, where the soil is more moist. Along the trail which runs 

 from Visalia to the Big Meadows, the belt is 4 or 5 miles wide, and it extends over a 

 vertical range of about 2,500 feet; its total length is as much as 8 or 10 miles, and 

 maybe more. The trees are not collected together into groves, but are scattered 

 through the forests, and associated with the other species usually occurring at this 

 altitude in the Sierra. They are most abundant at from 0,000 to 7,000 feet elevation 

 alx)ve the sea level. Their number is great; probably thousands might be counted. 

 Their size, however, is not great, the average being from 10 to 12 feet in diameter, 

 and but few exceeding 20 feet; but smaller ones are very numerous. One tree, which 

 had been cut, had a diameter of 8 feet, exclusive of the bark, and Avas 377 }'ears old. 

 The largest one seen was near Thomas's ]Mill; this had a circumference of 106 feet 

 near the ground, no allowance being made for a portion which was burned away at 

 the base. When entire the tree may have been 10 or 12 feet more in circumference. 

 At alx)ut 12 feet from the ground tlie circumference was 75 feet. Its height Avas 276 

 feet. The top was dead, liowever, and, although the tree was synunetrical and in 

 good growth, it had passed its prime. 



Another tree, which had fallen, and had been burned hollow, was so large, that 

 three horsemen could ride abreast into the cavity for a distance of 30 feet, its height 

 and width being about 11 feet. At a distance of 70 feet the diameter of the cavity 

 was still as much as 8 feet. The base of this tree could not be easily measured, but 

 the trunk was burned through at 120 feet from the ground, and at that point had a 

 diameter (exclusive of the Ixirk) of 13 feet 2 inches; and at 160 feet from its base the 

 tree was 9 feet in diameter. The Indians stated that a still larger tree existed to 

 the north of Kings River. This tree should l)e looked up and carefully measured; 

 unfortunately, it was not in the power of our party to do this. 



All through these forests there are numerous young Big Trees, of all sizes, from the 

 seeilling upward, and at Thomas's ^lill they are cut up for lumber in a manner 

 (.juite at variance with the oft-rei)eated story of the exceptional character of the spe- 

 cies. Prostrate trunks of old trees are also numerous ; some of them must have lain 

 for ages, ad they were nearly gone, Avhile the wood is very durable. 



TILE RIVEIl CiROVES. 



The only other groves yet discovered arv> those on the Tule Kiver, of which there 

 are two, one on the north an<l the other on the south branch of that stream. They 

 are 15 miles apart, an«l the most northerly of the two is about 30 miles from the 

 grove last <lescri])ed. As the intervening region has been but little explored, it is 

 not at all unlikely that more of the Big Trees may be found along the fork of tlui 

 Kaweah which intersects this region with its numerous branches. We are not aware 

 that the.se two Tule groves were known })revions to their discovery by Mr. 

 D'lleureuse, one of the topographers of the Geologi(;al Survey, in 1867; at least, n(^ 

 notice of them had ever appeared in print. The number of trees in these groves is 

 quite large, as they are scattered over several s(piare miles of area. The largest of 

 them were said by Mr. D'Heureusc; to Ix; about the size of tin? largest in the other 

 groves. 



DINKY AND MERCED GROVES. 



Yory little roliahle information is obtainable at present concerning- 

 these groves. The Dinky Grove is located on Dinky Creek, one of 

 the north tributaries of Kings River, and is said to have been acci- 

 dentally discovered by two hunters in the early seventies. It is also 

 said to contain only a small number of trees. 



The Merced Grove is a small gi-oup located on and near the head- 

 waters of the Merced River, and reported to contain less than 100 

 trees. 



THE NORTH GROVE. 



This can hardly be called a grove, but is so named for uniformity of 

 designation with other larger groups. It comprises six living trees, 



