A CHAPARRAL-FOREST RELATION 



37 



be given presently, that the root-systems of pines of the two 

 habitats show some variation. 



In the course of changes which have accompanied the estab- 

 Ushment and subsequent growth of the town of Carmel several 

 instances have been noted where the chaparral has been removed, 

 leaving the pines and oaks otherwise undisturbed. In such cases 

 the clearing off of the chaparral has been followed, after a lapse 

 of two years, more or less, by the death of the pines. 



In considering the possible causes which bring about the death 

 of the pines it would be noted that the species has at least two 

 insect enemies, one of which is a serious menace. There is a 

 fly which attacks the leaf buds in early spring with the result 

 that subsequent leaf development is abnormal, ' and a beetle, 

 which penetrates the bole to the cambium, often girdling the tree 

 and interfering with the movements of sap and sometimes caus- 

 ing death. In the present case, however, neither of these causes 

 need be considered as contributing in a material way to the result 

 noted above. The probable conditions, leading to the death of 

 the pines, are as follows. These are in part climatic and in part 

 accidental, being related to environmental changes induced by 

 the presence of the chaparral during the development of the 

 pine and by the subsequent removal of the chaparral. 



The main features of the climate of Carmel, so far as they 

 touch the present topic, have to do with the amount and the 

 character of the rainfall. Precipitation occurs in the winter 

 months mainly, the summer months being without rain. The 

 average rainfall is over 18 inches. Fog serves to ameliorate the 

 summer dryness along the coast, which, however, is fairly arid. 

 Among other results the long dry period brings about the drjang 

 out of the soil to such a degree, especially away from the fog 

 belt, that most annuals are dormant. 



The chaparral is sufficiently dense to completely cover the 

 ground and affords a certain and large degree of protection 

 against excessive drying out. The protection thus given to the 

 ground, by which a disastrous desiccation is prevented, disap- 



1 Cannon, W. A.: The gall of the Monterey pine. Am. Nat. 34: 801-810, 1900. 

 Peirce, G. J.: Notes on the Monterey pine. Bot. Gaz. 37 : 448-i55, 1904. 



