Tilt: liic Tin:!-: .wn its nvo/.m 



Ci. CahiviTas (ir()\-('. (dead, willioiit 

 hark) (liainctcr 

 at i^ l'(H't al)()\'' 

 j>;n)uiul, "io Icct 

 2 i 11 (' li (' s; 

 lu'i.iilit to pre- 

 sent top o()") 

 iVot (estimated 

 former height 

 400 feet). 



IL " " diameter at 6 feet 



above ground 



14.3, heio;ht 

 325 feet. 



I. " " diameter at 6 feet 



above ground 

 12.7, height 

 319 feet. 



J. " " diameter at 6 feet 



alcove ground 



19.4, height 

 315 feet. 



K. " " diameter at 6 feet 



above ground 

 15., height 307. 



L. Stanislaus Grove, circumference at 

 base 103 feet, 

 height 311 feet. 



M. Mariposa Grove, circumference at 

 base 93.7 feet, 

 circumference 

 at 11 feet, 64.3 

 feet. 



N. " " diameter at 6 feet, 



21.4 feet, 

 height 270 feet. 



Curiously enough the decline of the 

 big tree, like that of big states, is 

 possibly due to the fact that it cannot 

 stand prosperity. Shade and ricli 

 soil, factors conducive to the reproduc- 

 tion of most trees, are detrimental to 

 the Sequoia; it demands sunlight and 

 sandy soil from which leaf mold has 



been iciiioxcd. lor tliis reason there; 

 ar<' practieall\' no seedUn^s in the 

 shadows of the untoiielied northern 

 groN'es. but w here\-er in the southern 

 groN'es luinbei-inj; :ind fire ha\'e o|)ened 

 up the forest and exposed the mineral 

 eartli, an abundance of youn<:; l>i^ 

 Trees is always found near seed trees, 

 unless, of course, hre has destroyed 

 them. The dependence of this tree 

 for its reproduction on direct sunlight 

 and open soil is particularly evident in 

 the Tule River canons where very open 

 stands of large Big Trees have invari- 

 abl}' seeded up the washed gravelh' 

 soil. 



It is evident that under favoraljle 

 soil and light conditions the Big Tree 

 is not lacking in reproductive energy, 

 and that under these conditions it is 

 holding its own in competition with 

 other trees. Although it is but 

 meagrely represented in the few scat- 

 tered groups now preserved, the species 

 seems still to possess that strong inher- 

 ent reproductive power that permits 

 survival of the fit. 



And yet, seen by itself, the Sequoia 

 is not a particularly fine or beautiful 

 tree; it is too largely trunk. To 

 appreciate its true grandeur it must be 

 seen in company with its fellows, when 

 the e3'e travels from one massive trunk 

 to another, each towering upwards to 

 be lost in a mist of foliage. 



Once spread over a large part of the 

 Ancient World the Sequoia is now mak- 

 ing its last stand on the Sierras of our 

 western coast, where it is confined to a 

 few isolated groves found at altitudes 

 of from 4000 to 8000 feet above the 

 sea. Thirty-one of these groves or 

 groups are now known, numbering 

 from half a dozen to several thousand 

 trees each, occupying altogether an 



