The J unipers of Lake Valley 303 



which occupy exposed positions on the mountain ridges. For 

 the sequoia-record which serves as the basis of the forecast is 

 that of a tree uncommonly well defended from the accidents 

 and stresses which sap the strength and check the growth of 

 middle and later life. Serious damage by fire it seems to have 

 escaped altogether. The deadly freezing and drying winds of 

 winter which the junipers must face singly as they stand scat- 

 tered about on the storm-beaten heights, could not harm this 

 sequoia deep in its narrow dell and girt about by its giant 

 brethren. So far then as this consideration has weight, it 

 points to a date still later than that just now named for the at- 

 tainment of its supposed maximum size. 



There is also another consideration which seems to point in 

 the same direction. The largest junipers that I have chanced 

 upon have always been found far up on the mountain flanks. 

 Their curve of growth therefore should be represented not by 

 curve No. 2, but by the more pinched and starved No. 3. I feel 

 sure that I have seen among them trees of more than seven feet 

 in diameter, but never having had the wit to measure them, I 

 cannot insist upon that. — Let their maximum be seven feet in 

 diameter. According to curve No. 3 how old should they be? 

 One actually hesitates to name the figure. 



On the other hand, the enormous age which used to be 

 claimed for the giant sequoias has been steadily cut down by 

 the increase of definite knowledge, until now it appears that 

 the greatest age demonstrated by actual counts is no more than 

 2200 or 2300 years. It would seem then that the juniper is ac- 

 tually in the race of life alongside of its big brother the se- 

 quoia ! 



May 16, ipi/ 



