THE SEQUOIA. 

 A Historical Review of Biological Science. 



H\ Gboroi II Sherwood, A.M., 

 Assistant Curator, A. M. X. II. 



The Sequoia constitute a group of trees which in pasl ages 



3 abundant in temperate climates of Europe, Asia and America, 

 but which during the glacial period were all hut exterminated, 

 only two living species, the "Redwood" {Sequoia sempervirens) 

 and the " Big 'Five" (Sequoia gigantea), surviving to represent the 

 genus. Both are very limited in numbers and in distribution. 



The Redwood is found only in a narrow tract of land extend- 

 ing from the southern border of Oregon to Monterey Bay, while 

 the Big Tree is still more restricted, being confined t<> but ten 

 isolated groves situated between the altitudes of 4000 and 8000 

 feet above the sea, on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada 

 mountains (see accompanying map). This area is bounded <>n 

 the n<»rth by the American river, and on the south by Deer Creek, 

 and the total distance from the most northerly .^ r n>uj> 'North 

 ;<> the most southerly (Tule River grove) is only 200 

 miles. The King's River and Kaweah River grove is the largest 

 both as t<> area and number of trees. The extent of this district 

 UT or five miles in width, and eight or ten miles in length. 

 It has a variation in altitude of 2500 feet. It is an interesting 

 fact that as one proceeds from north to south the Big Ti 

 flourish at higher and higher altitudes. 



tiiiLT fr<>m Bulletin No. 2S of the United Stan-s Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture Ogoo>: "The Big Trees are unique in the 

 world, the grandest, the largest, the oldest, the most maj< 

 cally graceful of tn nd if it were not enough t<- be all this, 



tong thi ' known tree species and ! 



• ntific value of being the best livii 

 1' gical ribes the v. 



" The w 1 of th< not 



brittle, and ined, but very durable in 



3 



