CHAPARRAL, 45 
larger species among the chaparral are confined strictly to the areas 
of which the larger trees have already taken possession is proved by 
the fact that, though on such areas the distribution of seed is in no 
way interferred with, no extension of the stand is taking place. 
On the whole, there is little chance that by any natural means 
larger tree species will gradually take possession of the chaparral 
regions. All of them, whether growing above, below, or in the cha- 
parral, have failed to vanquish the smaller growth on the areas which 
it now dominates, though they have had hundreds of years in which 
to do so. Artificial extension cn a hitherto untried scale will be 
necessary to wrest from the chaparral its present domain, 
There are, it is true, a few exceptions to the general rule regarding 
the encroachment of the coniferous species upon the chaparral. One 
of the most significant is found near the summit of Mount Gleason, 
in the San Gabriel Mountains. Here mature yellow-pine trees on 
the summit have seeded an adjoining south slope covered with an 
exceedingly dense stand of buckthorn, Ceanothus sordiaatus. 
CONIFERS. 
The introduction of conifers into the chaparral area has been tried 
at different times, but, it must be confessed, without very great suc- 
cess. In 1898 a number of citizens of Pasadena, led by Mr. T. P. 
Lukens, began experimental seed sowing. In 1901 the Forest Service, 
then the Bureau of Forestry, cooperated with the Water and Forest 
Association of Los Angeles in gathering the seeds of conifers for 
watershed planting. Seed was furnished to owners of chaparral 
land who would agree to plant in accordance with instructions, and 
about 1,000 acres, principally on exposed south slopes, were planted 
during that year. The following winter was excessively dry, and 
the ground never became thoroughly saturated. As a result, the 
number of seedlings which came up was very small, and those which 
did appear were unable to withstand the heat of the following sum- 
mer. Notwithstanding the failure of that year’s work, sowing was 
resumed in the fall of 1902, but with a different method. Previously 
the seed had been dropped into a hole made with an iron bar; now 
seed spots were prepared, in each of which were placed a dozen or 
more seeds. Though the rainfall which followed the sowing was ex- 
ceedingly light, seedlings came up in great abundance. Pests of one 
sort or another soon began to destroy these, however, and it was but 
a comparatively short time before the greater number of them were 
killed. Precautions were then taken to protect the remaining ones, 
and many managed to live through the summer. No rain fell until 
late in December, however, and all of the seedlings finally perished. 
The outcome of this experiment, besides disclosing the difficulties 
sure to be met with in any attempt to reforest bare and exposed 
