Slope was raised from the ocean bed, in recent 
geologic times, by a mighty geotherm , or earth 
heat-wave, with the Sierra and Cascade Range as 
its axis of elevation; followed in a later age by 
another uplift with the Coast Range as its axis; 
while the long, narrow valley between the ranges 
was cross-fenced by low mountains into several 
magnificent parks, principal of which are the val¬ 
ley of California, the smaller Willamette valley, 
and the extensive Puget Sound region. 
Of these, California was assigned first place in 
the pathway of the southern fugitives, inviting to 
enter and urging to tarry and form a natural, un¬ 
exampled arboretum within her mountain walls, 
supremely aided thereto by a semi-tropic sun dis¬ 
pensing beneficent heat—the whole array of 
factors mentioned conferring to produce the most 
generous and forcing climate on the face of the 
earth—as magnificently evidenced by this Match¬ 
less Forest Endowment! 
A PROPHECY. 
There is a collateral thought, pregnant with 
great promise, clearly deducible from this forest 
phenomenon. Because the physical conditions pro¬ 
ducing largest and best forms in one of the two 
organic kingdoms—the vegetable—prevail now 
upon the earth in one sequestered region, we may 
believe that the other kingdom—the animal—and 
especially the human family, is equally susceptible 
to the world-excelling stimulus, and we may log¬ 
ically expect that this favored clime—with the 
contiguous country it shall dominate—is the com- 
