The mountains of California . growing considerablyhigher, say 10,500 tallest specimens,growing in sheltered hol-lows somewhat beneaththe heaviest wind-cm-reiits, are from eighty toa hundred feet high, andfrom two to four feet indiameter. The very lar-gest specimen I everfound was nineteen feetseven inches in circum-ference four feet fromthe ground, growing onthe edge of Lake Hollow, at an elevation of 9250feet above the level of the sea. At the age oftwenty or thirty years it becomes fruitful, andhangs out its beautiful purple cones at the endsof the slender sprays, where they swing f
The mountains of California . growing considerablyhigher, say 10,500 tallest specimens,growing in sheltered hol-lows somewhat beneaththe heaviest wind-cm-reiits, are from eighty toa hundred feet high, andfrom two to four feet indiameter. The very lar-gest specimen I everfound was nineteen feetseven inches in circum-ference four feet fromthe ground, growing onthe edge of Lake Hollow, at an elevation of 9250feet above the level of the sea. At the age oftwenty or thirty years it becomes fruitful, andhangs out its beautiful purple cones at the endsof the slender sprays, where they swing free in thebreeze, and contrast delightfully with the cool greenfoliage. They are translucent when young, andtheir beauty is delicious. After they are fully ripe,. STORM BEATEN HEMLOCK SPRUCE,FORTY FEET HIGH. THE FOKESTS 209 they spread their shell-like scales and allow thebrown-winged seeds to fly in the mellow air, whilethe empty cones remain to beantify the tree untilthe coming of a fresh crop. The staminate cones of all the conif erse are beauti-ful, growing in bright clusters, yellow, and rose, andcrimson. Those of the Hendock Hpruce are themost beautiful of all, forming little conelets of blueflowers, each on a slender stem. Under all conditions, sheltered or stormbeaten,well-fed or ill-fed, this tree is singularly graceful inhabit. Even at its highest limit upon exposed ridge-tops, though compelled to crouch in dense thickets,huddled close together, as if for mutual protection,it still manages to throw out its sprays in irre-pressible loveliness ; while on well-ground morainesoil it develops a perfectly tro2)ical luxuriance offoliage and fruit, and is the very loveliest tree inthe forest; poised in thin white sunshine, clad withbranches f
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectcaliforniadescriptio
