Changeset 2609

Timestamp:

06/10/08 13:28:34 (4 months ago)

Author:

kmaclean

Message:

AudioSegmentation scripts - snapshot

Files:

• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook.pm (modified) (1 diff)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/Audio.pm (modified) (1 diff)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/Chapter.pm (modified) (1 diff)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/Dictionary.pm (modified) (2 diffs)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/MissingWords.pm (modified) (11 diffs)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/Segments.pm (modified) (1 diff)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/interim_files/aligned.out (modified) (1 diff)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/interim_files/downsampled.wav (modified) (previous)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/interim_files/htksegment_log (modified) (1 diff)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/interim_files/logs/HVite_log (modified) (1 diff)
• Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/interim_files/words.mlf (modified) (1 diff)

Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook.pm

@@ -243 +243 @@
-        my $segments = AudioBook::Segments->new($self,$chapter);
-        $segments->processAudio();      
-
-
-
+
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-        
-        if (defined($tarSuffix)){

Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/Audio.pm

@@ -80 +80 @@
-        $command = ("HVite -A -D -T 1 -a -b SENT-END -m -C $htk_files/wav_config -H $htk_files/models/macros -H $htk_files/models/hmmdefs -m -t 250.0 150.0 1000.0 -I $segmentMlf -i $aligned_out $dict $htk_files/models/tiedlist AudioBook/interim_files/missingWordsFolder/$wavfilename > $log"); system($command) == 0 or confess "error: $command failed: $?";
-        return ($aligned_out, $log);
+}
+
+=head3 processMissingWordAudio 
+
+Create a segmented audio file from the original audio file using startTime and endTime generated from segmentation routines.
+
+=cut
+
+sub processMissingWordAudio { # private
+        my ($self,$fromFileName,$startTime,$stopTime,$toFileName) = @_;
+        my $audioBook = $self->{'audioBookObject'};             
+        my $debug = $audioBook->getDebug;       
+        my $htk_files = $audioBook->getHtk_files();
+        my $samplerate = $self->{"samplerate"};
+
+        # HCopy can only process 16 bit files! 
+        # HCopy does not create proper WAV/RIFF Headers!
+        # use TARGETKIND=NOHEAD in HCopy command to remove 'click' noise that HCopy puts at the very beginning of each file it creates
+        # make sure you use NATURALWRITEORDER = T and NATURALREADORDER = T      in the HTK config file  
+        $command = ("HCopy -C $htk_files/copy_config -s $startTime -e $stopTime $fromFileName AudioBook/interim_files/temp.wav"); print "cmd:$command\n" if $debug; system($command); 
+        # sox command to create a proper wav file with a RIFF header; 
+        $command = ("sox  -t .raw -r $samplerate -sw AudioBook/interim_files/temp.wav $toFileName"); print "cmd:$command\n" if $debug; system($command);        
-}
-

Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/Chapter.pm

@@ -73 +73 @@
-                $dictionary->updatePronDict($pronDict);         
-        }
-1
+$missingWords
-}
-

Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/Dictionary.pm

@@ -195 +195 @@
-        my $audioBook = $self->{'audiobookObject'};
-        my $debug = $audioBook->getDebug;
-        print "!!!!!!createAltDict\n";
-        my $missing_words_alt = $self->{"missing_words_alt"};   
-
@@ -270 +269 @@
-=head2 Gettors 
-
-Average_sentence_length
+Missing_words
-
-=cut

Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/MissingWords.pm

@@ -112 +112 @@
-}
-
+=head2 getAudio 
+
+get audio object.
+
+=cut
+
+sub getAudio {
+        my ($self)= @_; 
+        my $audioBook = $self->{'audioBookObject'};
+        my $debug = $audioBook->getDebug;
+
+        $self->verifyMissingWordPronunciations();
+
+}
-
-=head2 verifyMissingWordPronunciations 
@@ -133 +147 @@
-        $dictionary->getNBestPronunciations("AudioBook/interim_files/MissingWords_alt",15); # uses Sequitor g2p to get top N pronunication vairations
-        $dictionary->createAltDict($originalDict,$altDict);     # merge & sort missing_words_alt and originalDict into altDict
-        # !!!!!! 
-        #$dictionary->validateAlternatePronunciations($originalDict,$altDict,$prompts);
-        $self->validateAlternatePronunciations($originalDict,$altDict,$prompts);
-        # !!!!!!
-}
-
@@ -154 +165 @@
-        my $audioBook = $self->{'audioBookObject'};
-        my $debug = $audioBook->getDebug;
-
+
-        my $dictionary = $self->{'dictionaryObject'};   
-        my $missing_words = $dictionary->getMissing_words();    
-
-
+
-        my $missingWordList = $self->_getMissingWordList($missing_words);
-        my %prompts;
@@ -173 +183 @@
-                        if ($missingWordList->{$word}) { # there is a missing word in this prompt line
-                                my $wavfilename = $promptID . "\.wav";
-                            
+
-                                push (@missingWordsPrompts,"$word:$promptID @line\n");
-                                print "\.";
-
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+
+
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+
+
-                        }
-                }
@@ -190 +204 @@
-                my @temp = split (/:/,$line);
-                my ($word) = shift(@temp); 
-
+#
-                if (defined($missingWordsPrompts{$word})) {
-                        my $temp = "$missingWordsPrompts{$word}\n";
@@ -256 +270 @@
-}
-
+=head2 _processMissingWordAudio 
+
+copy 
+
+=cut
+
+sub _processMissingWordAudio { # private 
+        my ($self,$promptID,$word,$startTime,$stopTime)= @_;
+        my $audioBook = $self->{'audioBookObject'};
+        my $debug = $audioBook->getDebug;       
+        my $chapter = $self->{'chapterObject'};
+        my $audio = $chapter->getchapterAudioObject(); 
+                
+        #copy("AudioBook/interim_files/wav/$wavfilename","AudioBook/interim_files/missingWordsFolder/$wavfilename");
+        my $fromFileName = "AudioBook/interim_files/wav/$promptID\.wav";
+        my $toFileName = "AudioBook/interim_files/missingWordsFolder/$promptID" . "-mw\.wav";
+        my $buffer = 2500000;
+        if ($startTime - $buffer > 0) {
+                $startTime = $startTime - $buffer;
+        } else {
+                $startTime = 0;
+        }
+        $stopTime = $stopTime + $buffer;        # htk will just padd the end of the file with silence if longer than full duration of file
+                
+        $audio->processMissingWordAudio($fromFileName, $startTime,$stopTime,$toFileName);
+        
+        return 1;
+}
+
-=head2 _forceAlignPromptLine 
-
@@ -261 +304 @@
-Sequitor G2P), in doing so, it picks the most likely pronunciation, thereby validating a Sequitor G2P with real audio.
-
-
+ (picks up only the first one...)
-
-=cut
@@ -273 +316 @@
-        open(ALIGNED_OUT,"$aligned_out") or confess ("cannot open $aligned_out file");
-        my (@phoneList,$gatherPhones);
+        my ($word_startTime,$word_stopTime);
-        while (my $line = <ALIGNED_OUT>) {
-                my @line = split(/\s/, $line);
@@ -279 +323 @@
-                        if ($recword eq $word) {
-                                $gatherPhones=1;
+                                $word_startTime = $startTime;
-                        } elsif ($gatherPhones) {
+                                $word_stopTime = $startTime; # can't search on "sp" because some words have not ending "sp" phone
-                                last;
-                        }
@@ -286 +332 @@
-                        if ($phone ne "sp"){
-                                push (@phoneList,$phone);
-
+ 
-                }
-        } 
-@phoneList
+(\@phoneList,$word_startTime,$word_stopTime)
-}
-
@@ -313 +359 @@
-}
-
-=head2 getAudio 
-
-get audio object.
-
-=cut
-
-sub getAudio {
-        my ($self,$segments)= @_;       
-        my $audioBook = $self->{'audioBookObject'};
-        my $debug = $audioBook->getDebug;
-        # structure $fileID,"$current_word $current_startTime $current_endTime $pause"
-        my $promptsWithTimes = $segments->getPromptsWithTimes();
-        open(MISSINGWORDS, "<AudioBook/interim_files/MissingWords") or confess ("cannot open AudioBook/output_files/prompts for output");
-        my %missingwords;
-        foreach my $word (<MISSINGWORDS>) {
-                $missingwords{$word}=1;
-        }
-        foreach my $line (@$promptsWithTimes) {
-                my $fileID = $$line[0];
-                my $promptWordsWithTime = $$line[1];
-                foreach my $line (@$promptWordsWithTime) {
-                        
-                }
-        }
-        
-        $self->{'segmentsObject'} = $segments;          
-}
-
-=head1 Change Log    

Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/Segments.pm

@@ -66 +66 @@
-        } else {
-                $self->{'promptsWithTimes'} = "error:need to verify segments (-v switch) to get prompts with time";
-        }       
-
-        if ($chapter->getMissingWordFound()) {
-                if ($audioBook->getVerify_out_of_vocabulary_pronunciations()) { 
-                        $missingWords->verifyMissingWordPronunciations();
-                }       
-        }
-
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-
-        $self->{'segmentAudioObject'} = $Audio;

Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/interim_files/aligned.out

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-#!MLF!#
-"AudioBook/interim_files/downsampled.rec"
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Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/interim_files/htksegment_log

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Trunk/Scripts/Audio_scripts/AudioSegmentation/AudioBook/interim_files/logs/HVite_log

@@ -18 +18 @@
-Label file will be used to align each file
-Aligning File: AudioBook/interim_files/downsampled.wav
-8197 nodes / 8196
-PART ONE OF CHAPTER EIGHT OF THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA THIS IS A LIBRIVOX RECORDING ALL LIBRIVOX RECORDINGS ARE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO VOLUNTEER PLEASE VISIT LIBRIVOX DOT ORG THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA BY JOHN MUIR CHAPTER EIGHT THE FORESTS THE CONIFEROUS FORESTS OF THE SIERRA ARE THE GRANDEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL IN THE WORLD AND GROW IN A DELIGHTFUL CLIMATE ON THE MOST INTERESTING AND ACCESSIBLE OF MOUNTAIN RANGES YET STRANGE TO SAY THEY ARE NOT WELL KNOWN MORE THAN SIXTY YEARS AGO DAVID DOUGLAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC BOTANIST AND TREE LOVER WANDERED ALONE THROUGH FINE SECTIONS OF THE SUGAR PINE AND SILVER FIR WOODS WILD WITH DELIGHT A FEW YEARS LATER OTHER BOTANISTS MADE SHORT JOURNEYS FROM THE COAST INTO THE LOWER WOODS THEN CAME THE WONDERFUL MULTITUDE OF MINERS INTO THE FOOT HILL ZONE MOSTLY BLIND WITH GOLD DUST SOON FOLLOWED BY SHEEPMEN WHO WITH WOOL OVER THEIR EYES CHASED THEIR FLOCKS THROUGH ALL THE FOREST BELTS FROM ONE END OF THE RANGE TO THE OTHER THEN THE YOSEMITE VALLEY WAS DISCOVERED AND THOUSANDS OF ADMIRING TOURISTS PASSED THROUGH SECTIONS OF THE LOWER AND MIDDLE ZONES ON THEIR WAY TO THAT WONDERFUL PARK AND GAINED FINE GLIMPSES OF THE SUGAR PINES AND SILVER FIRS ALONG THE EDGES OF DUSTY TRAILS AND ROADS BUT FEW INDEED STRONG AND FREE WITH EYES UNDIMMED WITH CARE HAVE GONE FAR ENOUGH AND LIVED LONG ENOUGH WITH THE TREES TO GAIN ANYTHING LIKE A LOVING CONCEPTION OF THEIR GRANDEUR AND SIGNIFICANCE AS MANIFESTED IN THE HARMONIES OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND VARYING ASPECTS THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS AS THEY STAND ARRAYED IN THEIR WINTER GARB REJOICING IN STORMS PUTTING FORTH THEIR FRESH LEAVES IN THE SPRING WHILE STEAMING WITH RESINY FRAGRANCE RECEIVING THE THUNDER SHOWERS OF SUMMER OR REPOSING HEAVY LADEN WITH RIPE CONES IN THE RICH SUNGOLD OF AUTUMN FOR KNOWLEDGE OF THIS KIND ONE MUST DWELL WITH THE TREES AND GROW WITH THEM WITHOUT ANY REFERENCE TO TIME IN THE ALMANAC SENSE THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENERAL FOREST IN BELTS IS READILY PERCEIVED THESE AS WE HAVE SEEN EXTEND IN REGULAR ORDER FROM ONE EXTREMITY OF THE RANGE TO THE OTHER AND HOWEVER DENSE AND SOMBER THEY MAY APPEAR IN GENERAL VIEWS NEITHER ON THE ROCKY HEIGHTS NOR DOWN IN THE LEAFIEST HOLLOWS WILL YOU FIND ANYTHING TO REMIND YOU OF THE DANK MALARIAL SELVAS OF THE AMAZON AND ORINOCO WITH THEIR BOUNDLESS CONTIGUITY OF SHADE THE MONOTONOUS UNIFORMITY OF THE DEODAR FORESTS OF THE HIMALAYA THE BLACK FOREST OF EUROPE OR THE DENSE DARK WOODS OF DOUGLAS SPRUCE WHERE ROLLS THE OREGON THE GIANT PINES AND FIRS AND SEQUOIAS HOLD THEIR ARMS OPEN TO THE SUNLIGHT RISING ABOVE ONE ANOTHER ON THE MOUNTAIN BENCHES MARSHALED IN GLORIOUS ARRAY GIVING FORTH THE UTMOST EXPRESSION OF GRANDEUR AND BEAUTY WITH INEXHAUSTIBLE VARIETY AND HARMONY THE INVITING OPENNESS OF THE SIERRA WOODS IS ONE OF THEIR MOST DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS THE TREES OF ALL THE SPECIES STAND MORE OR LESS APART IN GROVES OR IN SMALL IRREGULAR GROUPS ENABLING ONE TO FIND A WAY NEARLY EVERYWHERE ALONG SUNNY COLONNADES AND THROUGH OPENINGS THAT HAVE A SMOOTH PARK LIKE SURFACE STREWN WITH BROWN NEEDLES AND BURS NOW YOU CROSS A WILD GARDEN NOW A MEADOW NOW A FERNY WILLOWY STREAM AND EVER AND ANON YOU EMERGE FROM ALL THE GROVES AND FLOWERS UPON SOME GRANITE PAVEMENT OR HIGH BARE RIDGE COMMANDING SUPERB VIEWS ABOVE THE WAVING SEA OF EVERGREENS FAR AND NEAR ONE WOULD EXPERIENCE BUT LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN RIDING ON HORSEBACK THROUGH THE SUCCESSIVE BELTS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE STORM BEATEN FRINGES OF THE ICY PEAKS THE DEEP CANONS HOWEVER THAT EXTEND FROM THE AXIS OF THE RANGE CUT THE BELTS MORE OR LESS COMPLETELY INTO SECTIONS AND PREVENT THE MOUNTED TRAVELER FROM TRACING THEM LENGTHWISE THIS SIMPLE ARRANGEMENT IN ZONES AND SECTIONS BRINGS THE FOREST AS A WHOLE WITHIN THE COMPREHENSION OF EVERY OBSERVER THE DIFFERENT SPECIES ARE EVER FOUND OCCUPYING THE SAME RELATIVE POSITIONS TO ONE ANOTHER AS CONTROLLED BY SOIL CLIMATE AND THE COMPARATIVE VIGOR OF EACH SPECIES IN TAKING AND HOLDING THE GROUND AND SO APPRECIABLE ARE THESE RELATIONS ONE NEED NEVER BE AT A LOSS IN DETERMINING WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED FEET THE ELEVATION ABOVE SEA LEVEL BY THE TREES ALONE FOR NOTWITHSTANDING SOME OF THE SPECIES RANGE UPWARD FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET AND ALL PASS ONE ANOTHER MORE OR LESS YET EVEN THOSE POSSESSING THE GREATEST VERTICAL RANGE ARE AVAILABLE IN THIS CONNECTION IN AS MUCH AS THEY TAKE ON NEW FORMS CORRESPONDING WITH THE VARIATIONS IN ALTITUDE CROSSING THE TREELESS PLAINS OF THE SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN FROM THE WEST AND REACHING THE SIERRA FOOT HILLS YOU ENTER THE LOWER FRINGE OF THE FOREST COMPOSED OF SMALL OAKS AND PINES GROWING SO FAR APART THAT NOT ONE TWENTIETH OF THE SURFACE OF THE GROUND IS IN SHADE AT CLEAR NOONDAY AFTER ADVANCING FIFTEEN OR TWENTY MILES AND MAKING AN ASCENT OF FROM TWO TO THREE THOUSAND FEET YOU REACH THE LOWER MARGIN OF THE MAIN PINE BELT COMPOSED OF THE GIGANTIC SUGAR PINE YELLOW PINE INCENSE CEDAR AND SEQUOIA NEXT YOU COME TO THE MAGNIFICENT SILVER FIR BELT AND LASTLY TO THE UPPER PINE BELT WHICH SWEEPS UP THE ROCKY ACCLIVITIES OF THE SUMMIT PEAKS IN A DWARFED WAVERING FRINGE TO A HEIGHT OF FROM TEN TO TWELVE THOUSAND FEET THIS GENERAL ORDER OF DISTRIBUTION WITH REFERENCE TO CLIMATE DEPENDENT ON ELEVATION IS PERCEIVED AT ONCE BUT THERE ARE OTHER HARMONIES AS FAR REACHING IN THIS CONNECTION THAT BECOME MANIFEST ONLY AFTER PATIENT OBSERVATION AND STUDY PERHAPS THE MOST INTERESTING OF THESE IS THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE FORESTS IN LONG CURVING BANDS BRAIDED TOGETHER INTO LACE LIKE PATTERNS AND OUTSPREAD IN CHARMING VARIETY THE KEY TO THIS BEAUTIFUL HARMONY IS THE ANCIENT GLACIERS WHERE THEY FLOWED THE TREES FOLLOWED TRACING THEIR WAVERING COURSES ALONG CANONS OVER RIDGES AND OVER HIGH ROLLING PLATEAUS THE CEDARS OF LEBANON SAYS HOOKER ARE GROWING UPON ONE OF THE MORAINES OF AN ANCIENT GLACIER ALL THE FORESTS OF THE SIERRA ARE GROWING UPON MORAINES BUT MORAINES VANISH LIKE THE GLACIERS THAT MAKE THEM EVERY STORM THAT FALLS UPON THEM WASTES THEM CUTTING GAPS DISINTEGRATING BOULDERS AND CARRYING AWAY THEIR DECAYING MATERIAL INTO NEW FORMATIONS UNTIL AT LENGTH THEY ARE NO LONGER RECOGNIZABLE BY ANY SAVE STUDENTS WHO TRACE THEIR TRANSITIONAL FORMS DOWN FROM THE FRESH MORAINES STILL IN PROCESS OF FORMATION THROUGH THOSE THAT ARE MORE AND MORE ANCIENT AND MORE AND MORE OBSCURED BY VEGETATION AND ALL KINDS OF POST GLACIAL WEATHERING HAD THE ICE SHEET THAT ONCE COVERED ALL THE RANGE BEEN MELTED SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM THE FOOT HILLS TO THE SUMMITS THE FLANKS WOULD OF COURSE HAVE BEEN LEFT ALMOST BARE OF SOIL AND THESE NOBLE FORESTS WOULD BE WANTING MANY GROVES AND THICKETS WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE GROWN UP ON LAKE AND AVALANCHE BEDS AND MANY A FAIR FLOWER AND SHRUB WOULD HAVE FOUND FOOD AND A DWELLING PLACE IN WEATHERED NOOKS AND CREVICES BUT THE SIERRA AS A WHOLE WOULD HAVE BEEN A BARE ROCKY DESERT IT APPEARS THEREFORE THAT THE SIERRA FORESTS IN GENERAL INDICATE THE EXTENT AND POSITIONS OF THE ANCIENT MORAINES AS WELL AS THEY DO LINES OF CLIMATE FOR FORESTS PROPERLY SPEAKING CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT SOIL AND SINCE THE MORAINES HAVE BEEN DEPOSITED UPON THE SOLID ROCK AND ONLY UPON ELECTED PLACES LEAVING A CONSIDERABLE PORTION OF THE OLD GLACIAL SURFACE BARE WE FIND LUXURIANT FORESTS OF PINE AND FIR ABRUPTLY TERMINATED BY SCORED AND POLISHED PAVEMENTS ON WHICH NOT EVEN A MOSS IS GROWING THOUGH SOIL ALONE IS REQUIRED TO FIT THEM FOR THE GROWTH OF TREES TWO HUNDRED FEET IN HEIGHT THE NUT PINE PINUS SABINIANA THE NUT PINE THE FIRST CONIFER MET IN ASCENDING THE RANGE FROM THE WEST GROWS ONLY ON THE TORRID FOOTHILLS SEEMING TO DELIGHT IN THE MOST ARDENT SUN HEAT LIKE A PALM SPRINGING UP HERE AND THERE SINGLY OR IN SCATTERED GROUPS OF FIVE OR SIX AMONG SCRUBBY WHITE OAKS AND THICKETS OF CEANOTHUS AND MANZANITA ITS EXTREME UPPER LIMIT BEING ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE SEA ITS LOWER ABOUT FROM FIVE HUNDRED TO EIGHT HUNDRED FEET THIS TREE IS REMARKABLE FOR ITS AIRY WIDESPREAD TROPICAL APPEARANCE WHICH SUGGESTS A REGION OF PALMS RATHER THAN COOL RESINY PINE WOODS NO ONE WOULD TAKE IT AT FIRST SIGHT TO BE A CONIFER OF ANY KIND IT IS SO LOOSE IN HABIT AND SO WIDELY BRANCHED AND ITS FOLIAGE IS SO THIN AND GRAY FULL GROWN SPECIMENS ARE FROM FORTY TO FIFTY FEET IN HEIGHT AND FROM TWO TO THREE FEET IN DIAMETER THE TRUNK USUALLY DIVIDES INTO THREE OR FOUR MAIN BRANCHES ABOUT FIFTEEN AND TWENTY FEET FROM THE GROUND WHICH AFTER BEARING AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER SHOOT STRAIGHT UP AND FORM SEPARATE SUMMITS WHILE THE CROOKED SUBORDINATE BRANCHES ASPIRE AND RADIATE AND DROOP IN ORNAMENTAL SPRAYS THE SLENDER GRAYISH GREEN NEEDLES ARE FROM EIGHT TO TWELVE INCHES LONG LOOSELY TASSELED AND INCLINED TO DROOP IN HANDSOME CURVES CONTRASTING WITH THE STIFF DARK COLORED TRUNK AND BRANCHES IN A VERY STRIKING MANNER NO OTHER TREE OF MY ACQUAINTANCE SO SUBSTANTIAL IN BODY IS IN ITS FOLIAGE SO THIN AND SO PERVIOUS TO THE LIGHT THE SUNBEAMS SIFT THROUGH EVEN THE LEAFIEST TREES WITH SCARCELY ANY INTERRUPTION AND THE WEARY HEATED TRAVELER FINDS BUT LITTLE PROTECTION IN THEIR SHADE THE GENEROUS CROP OF NUTRITIOUS NUTS WHICH THE NUT PINE YIELDS MAKES IT A FAVORITE WITH INDIANS BEARS AND SQUIRRELS THE CONES ARE MOST BEAUTIFUL MEASURING FROM FIVE TO EIGHT INCHES IN LENGTH AND NOT MUCH LESS IN THICKNESS RICH CHOCOLATE BROWN IN COLOR AND PROTECTED BY STRONG DOWN CURVING HOOKS WHICH TERMINATE THE SCALES NEVERTHELESS THE LITTLE DOUGLAS SQUIRREL CAN OPEN THEM INDIANS GATHERING THE RIPE NUTS MAKE A STRIKING PICTURE THE MEN CLIMB THE TREES LIKE BEARS AND BEAT OFF THE CONES WITH STICKS OR RECKLESSLY CUT OFF THE MORE FRUITFUL BRANCHES WITH HATCHETS WHILE THE SQUAWS GATHER THE BIG GENEROUS CONES AND ROAST THEM UNTIL THE SCALES OPEN SUFFICIENTLY TO ALLOW THE HARD SHELLED SEEDS TO BE BEATEN OUT THEN IN THE COOL EVENINGS MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN WITH THEIR CAPACITY FOR DIRT GREATLY INCREASED BY THE SOFT RESIN WITH WHICH THEY ARE ALL BEDRAGGLED FORM CIRCLES AROUND CAMP FIRES ON THE BANK OF THE NEAREST STREAM AND LIE IN EASY INDEPENDENCE CRACKING NUTS AND LAUGHING AND CHATTERING AS HEEDLESS OF THE FUTURE AS THE SQUIRRELS PINUS TUBERCULATA THIS CURIOUS LITTLE PINE IS FOUND AT AN ELEVATION OF FROM FIFTEEN HUNDRED TO THREE THOUSAND FEET GROWING IN CLOSE WILLOWY GROVES IT IS EXCEEDINGLY SLENDER AND GRACEFUL IN HABIT ALTHOUGH TREES THAT CHANCE TO STAND ALONE OUTSIDE THE GROVES SWEEP FORTH LONG CURVED BRANCHES PRODUCING A STRIKING CONTRAST TO THE ORDINARY GROVE FORM THE FOLIAGE IS OF THE SAME PECULIAR GRAY GREEN COLOR AS THAT OF THE NUT PINE AND IS WORN ABOUT AS LOOSELY SO THAT THE BODY OF THE TREE IS SCARCELY OBSCURED BY IT AT THE AGE OF SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS IT BEGINS TO BEAR CONES NOT ON BRANCHES BUT ON THE MAIN AXIS AND AS THEY NEVER FALL OFF THE TRUNK IS SOON PICTURESQUELY DOTTED WITH THEM THE BRANCHES ALSO BECOME FRUITFUL AFTER THEY ATTAIN SUFFICIENT SIZE THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE OLDER TREES IS ABOUT THIRTY OR FORTY FEET IN HEIGHT AND TWELVE TO FOURTEEN INCHES IN DIAMETER THE CONES ARE ABOUT FOUR INCHES LONG EXCEEDINGLY HARD AND COVERED WITH A SORT OF SILICIOUS VARNISH AND GUM RENDERING THEM IMPERVIOUS TO MOISTURE EVIDENTLY WITH A VIEW TO THE CAREFUL PRESERVATION OF THE SEEDS NO OTHER CONIFER IN THE RANGE IS SO CLOSELY RESTRICTED TO SPECIAL LOCALITIES IT IS USUALLY FOUND APART STANDING DEEP IN CHAPARRAL ON SUNNY HILL AND CANON SIDES WHERE THERE IS BUT LITTLE DEPTH OF SOIL AND WHERE FOUND AT ALL IT IS QUITE PLENTIFUL BUT THE ORDINARY TRAVELER FOLLOWING CARRIAGE ROADS AND TRAILS MAY ASCEND THE RANGE MANY TIMES WITHOUT MEETING IT WHILE EXPLORING THE LOWER PORTION OF THE MERCED CANON I FOUND A LONELY MINER SEEKING HIS FORTUNE IN A QUARTZ VEIN ON A WILD MOUNTAIN SIDE PLANTED WITH THIS SINGULAR TREE HE TOLD ME THAT HE CALLED IT THE HICKORY PINE BECAUSE OF THE WHITENESS AND TOUGHNESS OF THE WOOD IT IS SO LITTLE KNOWN HOWEVER THAT IT CAN HARDLY BE SAID TO HAVE A COMMON NAME MOST MOUNTAINEERS REFER TO IT AS THAT QUEER LITTLE PINE TREE COVERED ALL OVER WITH BURS IN MY STUDIES OF THIS SPECIES I FOUND A VERY INTERESTING AND SIGNIFICANT GROUP OF FACTS WHOSE RELATIONS WILL BE SEEN ALMOST AS SOON AS STATED FIRST ALL THE TREES IN THE GROVES I EXAMINED HOWEVER UNEQUAL IN SIZE ARE OF THE SAME AGE SECOND THOSE GROVES ARE ALL PLANTED ON DRY HILLSIDES COVERED WITH CHAPARRAL AND THEREFORE ARE LIABLE TO BE SWEPT BY FIRE THIRD THERE ARE NO SEEDLINGS OR SAPLINGS IN OR ABOUT THE LIVING GROVES BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A FINE HOPEFUL CROP SPRINGING UP ON THE GROUND ONCE OCCUPIED BY ANY GROVE THAT HAS BEEN DESTROYED BY THE BURNING OF THE CHAPARRAL FOURTH THE CONES NEVER FALL OFF AND NEVER DISCHARGE THEIR SEEDS UNTIL THE TREE OR BRANCH TO WHICH THEY BELONG DIES A FULL DISCUSSION OF THE BEARING OF THESE FACTS UPON ONE ANOTHER WOULD PERHAPS BE OUT OF PLACE HERE BUT I MAY AT LEAST CALL ATTENTION TO THE ADMIRABLE ADAPTATION OF THE TREE TO THE FIRE SWEPT REGIONS WHERE ALONE IT IS FOUND AFTER A GROVE HAS BEEN DESTROYED THE GROUND IS AT ONCE SOWN LAVISHLY WITH ALL THE SEEDS RIPENED DURING ITS WHOLE LIFE WHICH SEEM TO HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY HELD IN STORE WITH REFERENCE TO SUCH A CALAMITY THEN A YOUNG GROVE IMMEDIATELY SPRINGS UP GIVING BEAUTY FOR ASHES SUGAR PINE PINUS LAMBERTIANA THIS IS THE NOBLEST PINE YET DISCOVERED SURPASSING ALL OTHERS NOT MERELY IN SIZE BUT ALSO IN KINGLY BEAUTY AND MAJESTY IT TOWERS SUBLIMELY FROM EVERY RIDGE AND CANON OF THE RANGE AT AN ELEVATION OF FROM THREE TO SEVEN THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE SEA ATTAINING MOST PERFECT DEVELOPMENT AT A HEIGHT OF ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND FEET FULL GROWN SPECIMENS ARE COMMONLY ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FEET HIGH AND FROM SIX TO EIGHT FEET IN DIAMETER NEAR THE GROUND THOUGH SOME GRAND OLD PATRIARCH IS OCCASIONALLY MET THAT HAS ENJOYED FIVE OR SIX CENTURIES OF STORMS AND ATTAINED A THICKNESS OF TEN OR EVEN TWELVE FEET LIVING ON UNDECAYED SWEET AND FRESH IN EVERY FIBER IN SOUTHERN OREGON WHERE IT WAS FIRST DISCOVERED BY DAVID DOUGLAS ON THE HEAD WATERS OF THE UMPQUA IT ATTAINS STILL GRANDER DIMENSIONS ONE SPECIMEN HAVING BEEN MEASURED THAT WAS TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE FEET HIGH AND OVER EIGHTEEN FEET IN DIAMETER THREE FEET FROM THE GROUND THE DISCOVERER WAS THE DOUGLAS FOR WHOM THE NOBLE DOUGLAS SPRUCE IS NAMED AND MANY OTHER PLANTS WHICH WILL KEEP HIS MEMORY SWEET AND FRESH AS LONG AS TREES AND FLOWERS ARE LOVED HIS FIRST VISIT TO THE PACIFIC COAST WAS MADE IN THE YEAR EIGHTEEN TWENTY FIVE THE OREGON INDIANS WATCHED HIM WITH CURIOSITY AS HE WANDERED IN THE WOODS COLLECTING SPECIMENS AND UNLIKE THE FUR GATHERING STRANGERS THEY HAD HITHERTO KNOWN CARING NOTHING ABOUT TRADE AND WHEN AT LENGTH THEY CAME TO KNOW HIM BETTER AND SAW THAT FROM YEAR TO YEAR THE GROWING THINGS OF THE WOODS AND PRAIRIES WERE HIS ONLY OBJECTS OF PURSUIT THEY CALLED HIM THE MAN OF GRASS A TITLE OF WHICH HE WAS PROUD DURING HIS FIRST SUMMER ON THE WATERS OF THE COLUMBIA HE MADE FORT VANCOUVER HIS HEADQUARTERS MAKING EXCURSIONS FROM THIS HUDSON BAY POST IN EVERY DIRECTION ON ONE OF HIS LONG TRIPS HE SAW IN AN INDIAN'S POUCH SOME OF THE SEEDS OF A NEW SPECIES OF PINE WHICH HE LEARNED WERE OBTAINED FROM A VERY LARGE TREE FAR TO THE SOUTHWARD OF THE COLUMBIA AT THE END OF THE NEXT SUMMER RETURNING TO FORT VANCOUVER AFTER THE SETTING IN OF THE WINTER RAINS BEARING IN MIND THE BIG PINE HE HAD HEARD OF HE SET OUT ON AN EXCURSION UP THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY IN SEARCH OF IT AND HOW HE FARED AND WHAT DANGERS AND HARDSHIPS HE ENDURED ARE BEST TOLD IN HIS OWN JOURNAL FROM WHICH I QUOTE AS FOLLOWS OCTOBER TWENTY SIX EIGHTEEN TWENTY SIX WEATHER DULL COLD AND CLOUDY WHEN MY FRIENDS IN ENGLAND ARE MADE ACQUAINTED WITH MY TRAVELS I FEAR THEY WILL THINK I HAVE TOLD THEM NOTHING BUT MY MISERIES I QUITTED MY CAMP EARLY IN THE MORNING TO SURVEY THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRY LEAVING MY GUIDE TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE HORSES UNTIL MY RETURN IN THE EVENING ABOUT AN HOUR'S WALK FROM THE CAMP I MET AN INDIAN WHO ON PERCEIVING ME INSTANTLY STRUNG HIS BOW PLACED ON HIS LEFT ARM A SLEEVE OF RACCOON SKIN AND STOOD ON THE DEFENSIVE BEING QUITE SURE THAT CONDUCT WAS PROMPTED BY FEAR AND NOT BY HOSTILE INTENTIONS THE POOR FELLOW HAVING PROBABLY NEVER SEEN SUCH A BEING AS MYSELF BEFORE I LAID MY GUN AT MY FEET ON THE GROUND AND WAVED MY HAND FOR HIM TO COME TO ME WHICH HE DID SLOWLY AND WITH GREAT CAUTION I THEN MADE HIM PLACE HIS BOW AND QUIVER OF ARROWS BESIDE MY GUN AND STRIKING A LIGHT GAVE HIM A SMOKE OUT OF MY OWN PIPE AND A PRESENT OF A FEW BEADS WITH MY PENCIL I MADE A ROUGH SKETCH OF THE CONE AND PINE TREE WHICH I WANTED TO OBTAIN AND DREW HIS ATTENTION TO IT WHEN HE INSTANTLY POINTED WITH HIS HAND TO THE HILLS FIFTEEN OR TWENTY MILES DISTANT TOWARDS THE SOUTH AND WHEN I EXPRESSED MY INTENTION OF GOING THITHER CHEERFULLY SET OUT TO ACCOMPANY ME AT MIDDAY I REACHED MY LONG WISHED FOR PINES AND LOST NO TIME IN EXAMINING THEM AND ENDEAVORING TO COLLECT SPECIMENS AND SEEDS NEW AND STRANGE THINGS SELDOM FAIL TO MAKE STRONG IMPRESSIONS AND ARE THEREFORE FREQUENTLY OVER RATED SO THAT LEST I SHOULD NEVER SEE MY FRIENDS IN ENGLAND TO INFORM THEM VERBALLY OF THIS MOST BEAUTIFUL AND IMMENSELY GRAND TREE I SHALL HERE STATE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE LARGEST I COULD FIND AMONG SEVERAL THAT HAD BEEN BLOWN DOWN BY THE WIND AT THREE FEET FROM THE GROUND ITS CIRCUMFERENCE IS FIFTY SEVEN FEET NINE INCHES AT ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR FEET SEVENTEEN FEET FIVE INCHES THE EXTREME LENGTH TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE FEET AS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE EITHER TO CLIMB THE TREE OR HEW IT DOWN I ENDEAVORED TO KNOCK OFF THE CONES BY FIRING AT THEM WITH BALL WHEN THE REPORT OF MY GUN BROUGHT EIGHT INDIANS ALL OF THEM PAINTED WITH RED EARTH ARMED WITH BOWS ARROWS BONE TIPPED SPEARS AND FLINT KNIVES THEY APPEARED ANYTHING BUT FRIENDLY I EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT I WANTED AND THEY SEEMED SATISFIED AND SAT DOWN TO SMOKE BUT PRESENTLY I SAW ONE OF THEM STRING HIS BOW AND ANOTHER SHARPEN HIS FLINT KNIFE WITH A PAIR OF WOODEN PINCERS AND SUSPEND IT OFF THE WRIST OF HIS RIGHT HAND FURTHER TESTIMONY OF THEIR INTENTIONS WAS UNNECESSARY TO SAVE MYSELF BY FLIGHT WAS IMPOSSIBLE SO WITHOUT HESITATION I STEPPED BACK ABOUT FIVE PACES COCKED MY GUN DREW ONE OF THE PISTOLS OUT OF MY BELT AND HOLDING IT IN MY LEFT HAND AND THE GUN IN MY RIGHT SHOWED MYSELF DETERMINED TO FIGHT FOR MY LIFE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE I ENDEAVORED TO PRESERVE MY COOLNESS AND THUS WE STOOD LOOKING AT ONE ANOTHER WITHOUT MAKING ANY MOVEMENT OR UTTERING A WORD FOR PERHAPS TEN MINUTES WHEN ONE AT LAST WHO SEEMED TO BE THE LEADER GAVE A SIGN THAT THEY WISHED FOR SOME TOBACCO THIS I SIGNIFIED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE IF THEY FETCHED A QUANTITY OF CONES THEY WENT OFF IMMEDIATELY IN SEARCH OF THEM AND NO SOONER WERE THEY ALL OUT OF SIGHT THAN I PICKED UP MY THREE CONES AND SOME TWIGS OF THE TREES AND MADE THE QUICKEST POSSIBLE RETREAT HURRYING BACK TO THE CAMP WHICH I REACHED BEFORE DUSK I NOW WRITE LYING ON THE GRASS WITH MY GUN COCKED BESIDE ME AND PENNING THESE LINES BY THE LIGHT OF MY COLUMBIAN CANDLE NAMELY AN IGNITED PIECE OF ROSIN WOOD THIS GRAND PINE DISCOVERED UNDER SUCH EXCITING CIRCUMSTANCES DOUGLAS NAMED IN HONOR OF HIS FRIEND DR LAMBERT OF LONDON THE TRUNK IS A SMOOTH ROUND DELICATELY TAPERED SHAFT MOSTLY WITHOUT LIMBS AND COLORED RICH PURPLISH BROWN USUALLY ENLIVENED WITH TUFTS OF YELLOW LICHEN AT THE TOP OF THIS MAGNIFICENT BOLE LONG CURVING BRANCHES SWEEP GRACEFULLY OUTWARD AND DOWNWARD SOMETIMES FORMING A PALM LIKE CROWN BUT FAR MORE NOBLY IMPRESSIVE THAN ANY PALM CROWN I EVER BEHELD THE NEEDLES ARE ABOUT THREE INCHES LONG FINELY TEMPERED AND ARRANGED IN RATHER CLOSE TASSELS AT THE ENDS OF SLENDER BRANCHLETS THAT CLOTHE THE LONG OUTSWEEPING LIMBS HOW WELL THEY SING IN THE WIND AND HOW STRIKINGLY HARMONIOUS AN EFFECT IS MADE BY THE IMMENSE CYLINDRICAL CONES THAT DEPEND LOOSELY FROM THE ENDS OF THE MAIN BRANCHES NO ONE KNOWS WHAT NATURE CAN DO IN THE WAY OF PINE BURS UNTIL HE HAS SEEN THOSE OF THE SUGAR PINE THEY ARE COMMONLY FROM FIFTEEN TO EIGHTEEN INCHES LONG AND THREE IN DIAMETER GREEN SHADED WITH DARK PURPLE ON THEIR SUNWARD SIDES THEY ARE RIPE IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER THEN THE FLAT SCALES OPEN AND THE SEEDS TAKE WING BUT THE EMPTY CONES BECOME STILL MORE BEAUTIFUL AND EFFECTIVE FOR THEIR DIAMETER IS NEARLY DOUBLED BY THE SPREADING OF THE SCALES AND THEIR COLOR CHANGES TO A WARM YELLOWISH BROWN WHILE THEY REMAIN SWINGING ON THE TREE ALL THE FOLLOWING WINTER AND SUMMER AND CONTINUE EFFECTIVELY BEAUTIFUL EVEN ON THE GROUND MANY YEARS AFTER THEY FALL THE WOOD IS DELICIOUSLY FRAGRANT AND FINE IN GRAIN AND TEXTURE IT IS OF A RICH CREAM YELLOW AS IF FORMED OF CONDENSED SUNBEAMS RETINOSPORA OBTUSA SIEBOLD THE GLORY OF EASTERN FORESTS IS CALLED FU SI NO KI TREE OF THE SUN BY THE JAPANESE THE SUGAR PINE IS THE SUN TREE OF THE SIERRA UNFORTUNATELY IT IS GREATLY PRIZED BY THE LUMBERMEN AND IN ACCESSIBLE PLACES IS ALWAYS THE FIRST TREE IN THE WOODS TO FEEL THEIR STEEL BUT THE REGULAR LUMBERMEN WITH THEIR SAW MILLS HAVE BEEN LESS GENERALLY DESTRUCTIVE THUS FAR THAN THE SHINGLE MAKERS THE WOOD SPLITS FREELY AND THERE IS A CONSTANT DEMAND FOR THE SHINGLES AND BECAUSE AN AX AND SAW AND FROW ARE ALL THE CAPITAL REQUIRED FOR THE BUSINESS MANY OF THAT DRIFTING UNSTEADY CLASS OF MEN SO LARGE IN CALIFORNIA ENGAGE IN IT FOR A FEW MONTHS IN THE YEAR WHEN PROSPECTORS HUNTERS RANCH HANDS ETC TOUCH THEIR BOTTOM DOLLAR AND FIND THEMSELVES OUT OF EMPLOYMENT THEY SAY WELL I CAN AT LEAST GO TO THE SUGAR PINES AND MAKE SHINGLES A FEW POSTS ARE SET IN THE GROUND AND A SINGLE LENGTH CUT FROM THE FIRST TREE FELLED PRODUCES BOARDS ENOUGH FOR THE WALLS AND ROOF OF A CABIN ALL THE REST THE LUMBERMAN MAKES IS FOR SALE AND HE IS SPEEDILY INDEPENDENT NO GARDENER OR HAYMAKER IS MORE SWEETLY PERFUMED THAN THESE ROUGH MOUNTAINEERS WHILE ENGAGED IN THIS BUSINESS BUT THE HAVOC THEY MAKE IS MOST DEPLORABLE THE SUGAR FROM WHICH THE COMMON NAME IS DERIVED IS TO MY TASTE THE BEST OF SWEETS BETTER THAN MAPLE SUGAR IT EXUDES FROM THE HEART WOOD WHERE WOUNDS HAVE BEEN MADE EITHER BY FOREST FIRES OR THE AX IN THE SHAPE OF IRREGULAR CRISP CANDY LIKE KERNELS WHICH ARE CROWDED TOGETHER IN MASSES OF CONSIDERABLE SIZE LIKE CLUSTERS OF RESIN BEADS WHEN FRESH IT IS PERFECTLY WHITE AND DELICIOUS BUT BECAUSE MOST OF THE WOUNDS ON WHICH IT IS FOUND HAVE BEEN MADE BY FIRE THE EXUDING SAP IS STAINED ON THE CHARRED SURFACE AND THE HARDENED SUGAR BECOMES BROWN INDIANS ARE FOND OF IT BUT ON ACCOUNT OF ITS LAXATIVE PROPERTIES ONLY SMALL QUANTITIES MAY BE EATEN BEARS SO FOND OF SWEET THINGS IN GENERAL SEEM NEVER TO TASTE IT AT LEAST I HAVE FAILED TO FIND ANY TRACE OF THEIR TEETH IN THIS CONNECTION NO LOVER OF TREES WILL EVER FORGET HIS FIRST MEETING WITH THE SUGAR PINE NOR WILL HE AFTERWARD NEED A POET TO CALL HIM TO LISTEN WHAT THE PINE TREE SAITH IN MOST PINE TREES THERE IS A SAMENESS OF EXPRESSION WHICH TO MOST PEOPLE IS APT TO BECOME MONOTONOUS FOR THE TYPICAL SPIRY FORM HOWEVER BEAUTIFUL AFFORDS BUT LITTLE SCOPE FOR APPRECIABLE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER THE SUGAR PINE IS AS FREE FROM CONVENTIONALITIES OF FORM AND MOTION AS ANY OAK NO TWO ARE ALIKE EVEN TO THE MOST INATTENTIVE OBSERVER AND NOTWITHSTANDING THEY ARE EVER TOSSING OUT THEIR IMMENSE ARMS IN WHAT MIGHT SEEM MOST EXTRAVAGANT GESTURES THERE IS A MAJESTY AND REPOSE ABOUT THEM THAT PRECLUDES ALL POSSIBILITY OF THE GROTESQUE OR EVEN PICTURESQUE IN THEIR GENERAL EXPRESSION THEY ARE THE PRIESTS OF PINES AND SEEM EVER TO BE ADDRESSING THE SURROUNDING FOREST THE YELLOW PINE IS FOUND GROWING WITH THEM ON WARM HILLSIDES AND THE WHITE SILVER FIR ON COOL NORTHERN SLOPES BUT NOBLE AS THESE ARE THE SUGAR PINE IS EASILY KING AND SPREADS HIS ARMS ABOVE THEM IN BLESSING WHILE THEY ROCK AND WAVE IN SIGN OF RECOGNITION THE MAIN BRANCHES ARE SOMETIMES FOUND TO BE FORTY FEET IN LENGTH YET PERSISTENTLY SIMPLE SELDOM DIVIDING AT ALL EXCEPTING NEAR THE END BUT ANYTHING LIKE A BARE CABLE APPEARANCE IS PREVENTED BY THE SMALL TASSELED BRANCHLETS THAT EXTEND ALL AROUND THEM AND WHEN THESE SUPERB LIMBS SWEEP OUT SYMMETRICALLY ON ALL SIDES A CROWN SIXTY OR SEVENTY FEET WIDE IS FORMED WHICH GRACEFULLY POISED ON THE SUMMIT OF THE NOBLE SHAFT AND FILLED WITH SUNSHINE IS ONE OF THE MOST GLORIOUS FOREST OBJECTS CONCEIVABLE COMMONLY HOWEVER THERE IS A GREAT PREPONDERANCE OF LIMBS TOWARD THE EAST AWAY FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE PREVAILING WINDS NO OTHER PINE SEEMS TO ME SO UNFAMILIAR AND SELF CONTAINED IN APPROACHING IT WE FEEL AS IF IN THE PRESENCE OF A SUPERIOR BEING AND BEGIN TO WALK WITH A LIGHT STEP HOLDING OUR BREATH THEN PERCHANCE WHILE WE GAZE AWE STRICKEN ALONG COMES A MERRY SQUIRREL CHATTERING AND LAUGHING TO BREAK THE SPELL RUNNING UP THE TRUNK WITH NO CEREMONY AND GNAWING OFF THE CONES AS IF THEY WERE MADE ONLY FOR HIM WHILE THE CARPENTER WOODPECKER HAMMERS AWAY AT THE BARK DRILLING HOLES IN WHICH TO STORE HIS WINTER SUPPLY OF ACORNS ALTHOUGH SO WILD AND UNCONVENTIONAL WHEN FULL GROWN THE SUGAR PINE IS A REMARKABLY PROPER TREE IN YOUTH THE OLD IS THE MOST ORIGINAL AND INDEPENDENT IN APPEARANCE OF ALL THE SIERRA EVERGREENS THE YOUNG IS THE MOST REGULAR A STRICT FOLLOWER OF CONIFEROUS FASHIONS SLIM ERECT WITH LEAFY SUPPLE BRANCHES KEPT EXACTLY IN PLACE EACH TAPERING IN OUTLINE AND TERMINATING IN A SPIRY POINT THE SUCCESSIVE TRANSITIONAL FORMS PRESENTED BETWEEN THE CAUTIOUS NEATNESS OF YOUTH AND BOLD FREEDOM OF MATURITY OFFER A DELIGHTFUL STUDY AT THE AGE OF FIFTY OR SIXTY YEARS THE SHY FASHIONABLE FORM BEGINS TO BE BROKEN UP SPECIALIZED BRANCHES PUSH OUT IN THE MOST UNTHOUGHT OF PLACES AND BEND WITH THE GREAT CONES AT ONCE MARKING INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER AND THIS BEING CONSTANTLY AUGMENTED FROM YEAR TO YEAR BY THE VARYING ACTION OF THE SUNLIGHT WINDS SNOW STORMS ETC THE INDIVIDUALITY OF THE TREE IS NEVER AGAIN LOST IN THE GENERAL FOREST THE MOST CONSTANT COMPANION OF THIS SPECIES IS THE YELLOW PINE AND A WORTHY COMPANION IT IS THE DOUGLAS SPRUCE LIBOCEDRUS SEQUOIA AND THE WHITE SILVER FIR ARE ALSO MORE OR LESS ASSOCIATED WITH IT BUT ON MANY DEEP SOILED MOUNTAIN SIDES AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE SEA IT FORMS THE BULK OF THE FOREST FILLING EVERY SWELL AND HOLLOW AND DOWN PLUNGING RAVINE THE MAJESTIC CROWNS APPROACHING EACH OTHER IN BOLD CURVES MAKE A GLORIOUS CANOPY THROUGH WHICH THE TEMPERED SUNBEAMS POUR SILVERING THE NEEDLES AND GILDING THE MASSIVE BOLES AND FLOWERY PARK LIKE GROUND INTO A SCENE OF ENCHANTMENT ON THE MOST SUNNY SLOPES THE WHITE FLOWERED FRAGRANT CHAMOEBATIA IS SPREAD LIKE A CARPET BRIGHTENED DURING EARLY SUMMER WITH THE CRIMSON SARCODES THE WILD ROSE AND INNUMERABLE VIOLETS AND GILIAS NOT EVEN IN THE SHADIEST NOOKS WILL YOU FIND ANY RANK UNTIDY WEEDS OR UNWHOLESOME DARKNESS ON THE NORTH SIDES OF RIDGES THE BOLES ARE MORE SLENDER AND THE GROUND IS MOSTLY OCCUPIED BY AN UNDERBRUSH OF HAZEL CEANOTHUS AND FLOWERING DOGWOOD BUT NEVER SO DENSELY AS TO PREVENT THE TRAVELER FROM SAUNTERING WHERE HE WILL WHILE THE CROWNING BRANCHES ARE NEVER IMPENETRABLE TO THE RAYS OF THE SUN AND NEVER SO INTERBLENDED AS TO LOSE THEIR INDIVIDUALITY VIEW THE FOREST FROM BENEATH OR FROM SOME COMMANDING RIDGE TOP EACH TREE PRESENTS A STUDY IN ITSELF AND PROCLAIMS THE SURPASSING GRANDEUR OF THE SPECIES YELLOW OR SILVER PINE PINUS PONDEROSA THE SILVER OR YELLOW PINE AS IT IS COMMONLY CALLED RANKS SECOND AMONG THE PINES OF THE SIERRA AS A LUMBER TREE AND ALMOST RIVALS THE SUGAR PINE IN STATURE AND NOBLENESS OF PORT BECAUSE OF ITS SUPERIOR POWERS OF ENDURING VARIATIONS OF CLIMATE AND SOIL IT HAS A MORE EXTENSIVE RANGE THAN ANY OTHER CONIFER GROWING ON THE SIERRA ON THE WESTERN SLOPE IT IS FIRST MET AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT TWO THOUSAND FEET AND EXTENDS NEARLY TO THE UPPER LIMIT OF THE TIMBER LINE THENCE CROSSING THE RANGE BY THE LOWEST PASSES IT DESCENDS TO THE EASTERN BASE AND PUSHES OUT FOR A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE INTO THE HOT VOLCANIC PLAINS GROWING BRAVELY UPON WELL WATERED MORAINES GRAVELLY LAKE BASINS ARCTIC RIDGES AND TORRID LAVA BEDS PLANTING ITSELF UPON THE LIPS OF CRATERS FLOURISHING VIGOROUSLY EVEN THERE AND TOSSING RIPE CONES AMONG THE ASHES AND CINDERS OF NATURE'S HEARTHS THE AVERAGE SIZE OF FULL GROWN TREES ON THE WESTERN SLOPE WHERE IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUGAR PINE IS A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED FEET IN HEIGHT AND FROM FIVE TO SIX FEET IN DIAMETER THOUGH SPECIMENS MAY EASILY BE FOUND THAT ARE CONSIDERABLY LARGER I MEASURED ONE GROWING AT AN ELEVATION OF FOUR THOUSAND FEET IN THE VALLEY OF THE MERCED THAT IS A FEW INCHES OVER EIGHT FEET IN DIAMETER AND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FEET HIGH WHERE THERE IS PLENTY OF FREE SUNSHINE AND OTHER CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE IT PRESENTS A STRIKING CONTRAST IN FORM TO THE SUGAR PINE BEING A SYMMETRICAL SPIRE FORMED OF A STRAIGHT ROUND TRUNK CLAD WITH INNUMERABLE BRANCHES THAT ARE DIVIDED OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT ONE HALF OF THE TRUNK IS COMMONLY BRANCHLESS BUT WHERE IT GROWS AT ALL CLOSE THREE FOURTHS OR MORE BECOME NAKED THE TREE PRESENTING THEN A MORE SLENDER AND ELEGANT SHAFT THAN ANY OTHER TREE IN THE WOODS THE BARK IS MOSTLY ARRANGED IN MASSIVE PLATES SOME OF THEM MEASURING FOUR OR FIVE FEET IN LENGTH BY EIGHTEEN INCHES IN WIDTH WITH A THICKNESS OF THREE OR FOUR INCHES FORMING A QUITE MARKED AND DISTINGUISHING FEATURE THE NEEDLES ARE OF A FINE WARM YELLOW GREEN COLOR SIX TO EIGHT INCHES LONG FIRM AND ELASTIC AND CROWDED IN HANDSOME RADIANT TASSELS ON THE UPTURNING ENDS OF THE BRANCHES THE CONES ARE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR INCHES LONG AND TWO AND A HALF WIDE GROWING IN CLOSE SESSILE CLUSTERS AMONG THE LEAVES THE SPECIES ATTAINS ITS NOBLEST FORM IN FILLED UP LAKE BASINS ESPECIALLY IN THOSE OF THE OLDER YOSEMITES AND SO PROMINENT A PART DOES IT FORM OF THEIR GROVES THAT IT MAY WELL BE CALLED THE YOSEMITE PINE RIPE SPECIMENS FAVORABLY SITUATED ARE ALMOST ALWAYS TWO HUNDRED FEET OR MORE IN HEIGHT AND THE BRANCHES CLOTHE THE TRUNK NEARLY TO THE GROUND AS SEEN IN THE ILLUSTRATION THE JEFFREY VARIETY ATTAINS ITS FINEST DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE RANGE IN THE WIDE BASINS OF THE MCCLOUD AND PITT RIVERS WHERE IT FORMS MAGNIFICENT FORESTS SCARCELY INVADED BY ANY OTHER TREE IT DIFFERS FROM THE ORDINARY FORM IN SIZE BEING ONLY ABOUT HALF AS TALL AND IN ITS REDDER AND MORE CLOSELY FURROWED BARK GRAYISH GREEN FOLIAGE LESS DIVIDED BRANCHES AND LARGER CONES BUT INTERMEDIATE FORMS COME IN WHICH MAKE A CLEAR SEPARATION IMPOSSIBLE ALTHOUGH SOME BOTANISTS REGARD IT AS A DISTINCT SPECIES IT IS THIS VARIETY THAT CLIMBS STORM SWEPT RIDGES AND WANDERS OUT AMONG THE VOLCANOES OF THE GREAT BASIN WHETHER EXPOSED TO EXTREMES OF HEAT OR COLD IT IS DWARFED LIKE EVERY OTHER TREE AND BECOMES ALL KNOTS AND ANGLES WHOLLY UNLIKE THE MAJESTIC FORMS WE HAVE BEEN SKETCHING OLD SPECIMENS BEARING CONES ABOUT AS BIG AS PINEAPPLES MAY SOMETIMES BE FOUND CLINGING TO RIFTED ROCKS AT AN ELEVATION OF SEVEN OR EIGHT THOUSAND FEET WHOSE HIGHEST BRANCHES SCARCE REACH ABOVE ONE'S SHOULDERS I HAVE OFTENTIMES FEASTED ON THE BEAUTY OF THESE NOBLE TREES WHEN THEY WERE TOWERING IN ALL THEIR WINTER GRANDEUR LADEN WITH SNOW ONE MASS OF BLOOM IN SUMMER TOO WHEN THE BROWN STAMINATE CLUSTERS HANG THICK AMONG THE SHIMMERING NEEDLES AND THE BIG PURPLE BURS ARE RIPENING IN THE MELLOW LIGHT BUT IT IS DURING CLOUDLESS WIND STORMS THAT THESE COLOSSAL PINES ARE MOST IMPRESSIVELY BEAUTIFUL THEN THEY BOW LIKE WILLOWS THEIR LEAVES STREAMING FORWARD ALL IN ONE DIRECTION AND WHEN THE SUN SHINES UPON THEM AT THE REQUIRED ANGLE ENTIRE GROVES GLOW AS IF EVERY LEAF WERE BURNISHED SILVER THE FALL OF TROPIC LIGHT ON THE ROYAL CROWN OF A PALM IS A TRULY GLORIOUS SPECTACLE THE FERVID SUN FLOOD BREAKING UPON THE GLOSSY LEAVES IN LONG LANCE RAYS LIKE MOUNTAIN WATER AMONG BOULDERS BUT TO ME THERE IS SOMETHING MORE IMPRESSIVE IN THE FALL OF LIGHT UPON THESE SILVER PINES IT SEEMS BEATEN TO THE FINEST DUST AND IS SHED OFF IN MYRIADS OF MINUTE SPARKLES THAT SEEM TO COME FROM THE VERY HEART OF THE TREES AS IF LIKE RAIN FALLING UPON FERTILE SOIL IT HAD BEEN ABSORBED TO REAPPEAR IN FLOWERS OF LIGHT THIS SPECIES ALSO GIVES FORTH THE FINEST MUSIC TO THE WIND AFTER LISTENING TO IT IN ALL KINDS OF WINDS NIGHT AND DAY SEASON AFTER SEASON I THINK I COULD APPROXIMATE TO MY POSITION ON THE MOUNTAINS BY THIS PINE MUSIC ALONE IF YOU WOULD CATCH THE TONES OF SEPARATE NEEDLES CLIMB A TREE THEY ARE WELL TEMPERED AND GIVE FORTH NO UNCERTAIN SOUND EACH STANDING OUT WITH NO INTERFERENCE EXCEPTING DURING HEAVY GALES THEN YOU MAY DETECT THE CLICK OF ONE NEEDLE UPON ANOTHER READILY DISTINGUISHABLE FROM THEIR FREE WING LIKE HUM SOME IDEA OF THEIR TEMPER MAY BE DRAWN FROM THE FACT THAT NOTWITHSTANDING THEY ARE SO LONG THE VIBRATIONS THAT GIVE RISE TO THE PECULIAR SHIMMERING OF THE LIGHT ARE MADE AT THE RATE OF ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PER MINUTE WHEN A SUGAR PINE AND ONE OF THIS SPECIES EQUAL IN SIZE ARE OBSERVED TOGETHER THE LATTER IS SEEN TO BE FAR MORE SIMPLE IN MANNERS MORE LITHELY GRACEFUL AND ITS BEAUTY IS OF A KIND MORE EASILY APPRECIATED BUT THEN IT IS ON THE OTHER HAND MUCH LESS DIGNIFIED AND ORIGINAL IN DEMEANOR THE SILVER PINE SEEMS EAGER TO SHOOT ALOFT EVEN WHILE IT IS DROWSING IN AUTUMN SUN GOLD YOU MAY STILL DETECT A SKYWARD ASPIRATION BUT THE SUGAR PINE SEEMS TOO UNCONSCIOUSLY NOBLE AND TOO COMPLETE IN EVERY WAY TO LEAVE ROOM FOR EVEN A HEAVENWARD CARE DOUGLAS SPRUCE PSEUDOTSUGA DOUGLASII THIS TREE IS THE KING OF THE SPRUCES AS THE SUGAR PINE IS KING OF PINES IT IS BY FAR THE MOST MAJESTIC SPRUCE I EVER BEHELD IN ANY FOREST AND ONE OF THE LARGEST AND LONGEST LIVED OF THE GIANTS THAT FLOURISH THROUGHOUT THE MAIN PINE BELT OFTEN ATTAINING A HEIGHT OF NEARLY TWO HUNDRED FEET AND A DIAMETER OF SIX OR SEVEN WHERE THE GROWTH IS NOT TOO CLOSE THE STRONG SPREADING BRANCHES COME MORE THAN HALFWAY DOWN THE TRUNK AND THESE ARE HUNG WITH INNUMERABLE SLENDER SWAYING SPRAYS THAT ARE HANDSOMELY FEATHERED WITH THE SHORT LEAVES WHICH RADIATE AT RIGHT ANGLES ALL AROUND THEM THIS VIGOROUS SPRUCE IS EVER BEAUTIFUL WELCOMING THE MOUNTAIN WINDS AND THE SNOW AS WELL AS THE MELLOW SUMMER LIGHT AND MAINTAINING ITS YOUTHFUL FRESHNESS UNDIMINISHED FROM CENTURY TO CENTURY THROUGH A THOUSAND STORMS IT MAKES ITS FINEST APPEARANCE IN THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND JULY THE RICH BROWN BUDS WITH WHICH ITS SPRAYS ARE TIPPED SWELL AND BREAK ABOUT THIS TIME REVEALING THE YOUNG LEAVES WHICH AT FIRST ARE BRIGHT YELLOW MAKING THE TREE APPEAR AS IF COVERED WITH GAY BLOSSOMS WHILE THE PENDULOUS BRACTED CONES WITH THEIR SHELL LIKE SCALES ARE A CONSTANT ADORNMENT THE YOUNG TREES ARE MOSTLY GATHERED INTO BEAUTIFUL FAMILY GROUPS EACH SAPLING EXQUISITELY SYMMETRICAL THE PRIMARY BRANCHES ARE WHORLED REGULARLY AROUND THE AXIS GENERALLY IN FIVES WHILE EACH IS DRAPED WITH LONG FEATHERY SPRAYS THAT DESCEND IN CURVES AS FREE AND AS FINELY DRAWN AS THOSE OF FALLING WATER IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON IT GROWS IN DENSE FORESTS GROWING TALL AND MAST LIKE TO A HEIGHT OF THREE HUNDRED FEET AND IS GREATLY PRIZED AS A LUMBER TREE BUT IN THE SIERRA IT IS SCATTERED AMONG OTHER TREES OR FORMS SMALL GROVES SELDOM ASCENDING HIGHER THAN FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FEET AND NEVER MAKING WHAT WOULD BE CALLED A FOREST IT IS NOT PARTICULAR IN ITS CHOICE OF SOIL WET OR DRY SMOOTH OR ROCKY IT MAKES OUT TO LIVE WELL ON THEM ALL TWO OF THE LARGEST SPECIMENS I HAVE MEASURED ARE IN YOSEMITE VALLEY ONE OF WHICH IS MORE THAN EIGHT FEET IN DIAMETER AND IS GROWING UPON THE TERMINAL MORAINE OF THE RESIDUAL GLACIER THAT OCCUPIED THE SOUTH FORK CANON THE OTHER IS NEARLY AS LARGE GROWING UPON ANGULAR BLOCKS OF GRANITE THAT HAVE BEEN SHAKEN FROM THE PRECIPITOUS FRONT OF THE LIBERTY CAP NEAR THE NEVADA FALL NO OTHER TREE SEEMS SO CAPABLE OF ADAPTING ITSELF TO EARTHQUAKE TALUSES AND MANY OF THESE ROUGH BOULDER SLOPES ARE OCCUPIED BY IT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ESPECIALLY IN YOSEMITE GORGES MOISTENED BY THE SPRAY OF WATERFALLS INCENSE CEDAR LIBOCEDRUS DECURRENS THE INCENSE CEDAR IS ANOTHER OF THE GIANTS QUITE GENERALLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THIS PORTION OF THE FOREST WITHOUT EXCLUSIVELY OCCUPYING ANY CONSIDERABLE AREA OR EVEN MAKING EXTENSIVE GROVES IT ASCENDS TO ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND FEET ON THE WARMER HILLSIDES AND REACHES THE CLIMATE MOST CONGENIAL TO IT AT ABOUT FROM THREE THOUSAND TO FOUR THOUSAND FEET GROWING VIGOROUSLY AT THIS ELEVATION ON ALL KINDS OF SOIL AND IN PARTICULAR IT IS CAPABLE OF ENDURING MORE MOISTURE ABOUT ITS ROOTS THAN ANY OF ITS COMPANIONS EXCEPTING ONLY THE SEQUOIA THE LARGEST SPECIMENS ARE ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FEET HIGH AND SEVEN FEET IN DIAMETER THE BARK IS BROWN OF A SINGULARLY RICH TONE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO ARTISTS AND THE FOLIAGE IS TINTED WITH A WARMER YELLOW THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER EVERGREEN IN THE WOODS CASTING YOUR EYE OVER THE GENERAL FOREST FROM SOME RIDGE TOP THE COLOR ALONE OF ITS SPIRY SUMMITS IS SUFFICIENT TO IDENTIFY IT IN ANY COMPANY IN YOUTH SAY UP TO THE AGE OF SEVENTY OR EIGHTY YEARS NO OTHER TREE FORMS SO STRICTLY TAPERED A CONE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM THE BRANCHES SWOOP OUTWARD AND DOWNWARD IN BOLD CURVES EXCEPTING THE YOUNGER ONES NEAR THE TOP WHICH ASPIRE WHILE THE LOWEST DROOP TO THE GROUND AND ALL SPREAD OUT IN FLAT FERNY PLUMES BEAUTIFULLY FRONDED AND IMBRICATED UPON ONE ANOTHER AS IT BECOMES OLDER IT GROWS STRIKINGLY IRREGULAR AND PICTURESQUE LARGE SPECIAL BRANCHES PUT OUT AT RIGHT ANGLES FROM THE TRUNK FORM BIG STUBBORN ELBOWS AND THEN SHOOT UP PARALLEL WITH THE AXIS VERY OLD TREES ARE USUALLY DEAD AT THE TOP THE MAIN AXIS PROTRUDING ABOVE AMPLE MASSES OF GREEN PLUMES GRAY AND LICHEN COVERED AND DRILLED FULL OF ACORN HOLES BY THE WOODPECKERS THE PLUMES ARE EXCEEDINGLY BEAUTIFUL NO WAVING FERN FROND IN SHADY DELL IS MORE UNRESERVEDLY BEAUTIFUL IN FORM AND TEXTURE OR HALF SO INSPIRING IN COLOR AND SPICY FRAGRANCE IN ITS PRIME THE WHOLE TREE IS THATCHED WITH THEM SO THAT THEY SHED OFF RAIN AND SNOW LIKE A ROOF MAKING FINE MANSIONS FOR STORM BOUND BIRDS AND MOUNTAINEERS BUT IF YOU WOULD SEE THE LIBOCEDRUS IN ALL ITS GLORY YOU MUST GO TO THE WOODS IN WINTER THEN IT IS LADEN WITH MYRIADS OF FOUR SIDED STAMINATE CONES ABOUT THE SIZE OF WHEAT GRAINS WINTER WHEAT PRODUCING A GOLDEN TINGE AND FORMING A NOBLE ILLUSTRATION OF NATURE'S IMMORTAL VIGOR AND VIRILITY THE FERTILE CONES ARE ABOUT THREE FOURTHS OF AN INCH LONG BORNE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE PLUMY BRANCHLETS WHERE THEY SERVE TO ENRICH STILL MORE THE SURPASSING BEAUTY OF THIS GRAND WINTER BLOOMING GOLDENROD WHITE SILVER FIR ABIES CONCOLOR WE COME NOW TO THE MOST REGULARLY PLANTED OF ALL THE MAIN FOREST BELTS COMPOSED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY OF TWO NOBLE FIRS A CONCOLOR AND A MAGNIFICA IT EXTENDS WITH NO MARKED INTERRUPTION FOR FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILES AT AN ELEVATION OF FROM FIVE THOUSAND TO NEARLY NINE THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE SEA IN ITS YOUTH A CONCOLOR IS A CHARMINGLY SYMMETRICAL TREE WITH BRANCHES REGULARLY WHORLED IN LEVEL COLLARS AROUND ITS WHITISH GRAY AXIS WHICH TERMINATES IN A STRONG HOPEFUL SHOOT THE LEAVES ARE IN TWO HORIZONTAL ROWS ALONG BRANCHLETS THAT COMMONLY ARE LESS THAN EIGHT YEARS OLD FORMING HANDSOME PLUMES PINNATED LIKE THE FRONDS OF FERNS THE CONES ARE GRAYISH GREEN WHEN RIPE CYLINDRICAL ABOUT FROM THREE TO FOUR INCHES LONG BY ONE AND A HALF TO TWO INCHES WIDE AND STAND UPRIGHT ON THE UPPER BRANCHES FULL GROWN TREES FAVORABLY SITUATED AS TO SOIL AND EXPOSURE ARE ABOUT TWO HUNDRED FEET HIGH AND FIVE OR SIX FEET IN DIAMETER NEAR THE GROUND THOUGH LARGER SPECIMENS ARE BY NO MEANS RARE AS OLD AGE CREEPS ON THE BARK BECOMES ROUGHER AND GRAYER THE BRANCHES LOSE THEIR EXACT REGULARITY MANY ARE SNOW BENT OR BROKEN OFF AND THE MAIN AXIS OFTEN BECOMES DOUBLE OR OTHERWISE IRREGULAR FROM ACCIDENTS TO THE TERMINAL BUD OR SHOOT BUT THROUGHOUT ALL THE VICISSITUDES OF ITS LIFE ON THE MOUNTAINS COME WHAT MAY THE NOBLE GRANDEUR OF THE SPECIES IS PATENT TO EVERY EYE MAGNIFICENT SILVER FIR OR RED FIR ABIES MAGNIFICA THIS IS THE MOST CHARMINGLY SYMMETRICAL OF ALL THE GIANTS OF THE SIERRA WOODS FAR SURPASSING ITS COMPANION SPECIES IN THIS RESPECT AND EASILY DISTINGUISHED FROM IT BY THE PURPLISH RED BARK WHICH IS ALSO MORE CLOSELY FURROWED THAN THAT OF THE WHITE AND BY ITS LARGER CONES MORE REGULARLY WHORLED AND FRONDED BRANCHES AND BY ITS LEAVES WHICH ARE SHORTER AND GROW ALL AROUND THE BRANCHLETS AND POINT UPWARD IN SIZE THESE TWO SILVER FIRS ARE ABOUT EQUAL THE MAGNIFICA PERHAPS A LITTLE THE TALLER SPECIMENS FROM TWO HUNDRED TO TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FEET HIGH ARE NOT RARE ON WELL GROUND MORAINE SOIL AT AN ELEVATION OF FROM SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED TO EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL THE LARGEST THAT I MEASURED STANDS BACK THREE MILES FROM THE BRINK OF THE NORTH WALL OF YOSEMITE VALLEY FIFTEEN YEARS AGO IT WAS TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FEET HIGH WITH A DIAMETER OF A LITTLE MORE THAN FIVE FEET HAPPY THE MAN WITH THE FREEDOM AND THE LOVE TO CLIMB ONE OF THESE SUPERB TREES IN FULL FLOWER AND FRUIT HOW ADMIRABLE THE FOREST WORK OF NATURE IS THEN SEEN TO BE AS ONE MAKES HIS WAY UP THROUGH THE MIDST OF THE BROAD FRONDED BRANCHES ALL ARRANGED IN EXQUISITE ORDER AROUND THE TRUNK LIKE THE WHORLED LEAVES OF LILIES AND EACH BRANCH AND BRANCHLET ABOUT AS STRICTLY PINNATE AS THE MOST SYMMETRICAL FERN FROND THE STAMINATE CONES ARE SEEN GROWING STRAIGHT DOWNWARD FROM THE UNDER SIDE OF THE YOUNG BRANCHES IN LAVISH PROFUSION MAKING FINE PURPLE CLUSTERS AMID THE GRAYISH GREEN FOLIAGE ON THE TOPMOST BRANCHES THE FERTILE CONES ARE SET FIRMLY ON END LIKE SMALL CASKS THEY ARE ABOUT SIX INCHES LONG THREE WIDE COVERED WITH A FINE GRAY DOWN AND STREAKED WITH CRYSTAL BALSAM THAT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN POURED UPON EACH CONE FROM ABOVE BOTH THE SILVER FIRS LIVE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OR MORE WHEN THE CONDITIONS ABOUT THEM ARE AT ALL FAVORABLE SOME VENERABLE PATRIARCH MAY OFTEN BE SEEN HEAVILY STORM MARKED TOWERING IN SEVERE MAJESTY ABOVE THE RISING GENERATION WITH A PROTECTING GROVE OF SAPLINGS PRESSING CLOSE AROUND HIS FEET EACH DRESSED WITH SUCH LOVING CARE THAT NOT A LEAF SEEMS WANTING OTHER COMPANIES ARE MADE UP OF TREES NEAR THE PRIME OF LIFE EXQUISITELY HARMONIZED TO ONE ANOTHER IN FORM AND GESTURE AS IF NATURE HAD CULLED THEM ONE BY ONE WITH NICE DISCRIMINATION FROM ALL THE REST OF THE WOODS IT IS FROM THIS TREE CALLED RED FIR BY THE LUMBERMAN THAT MOUNTAINEERS ALWAYS CUT BOUGHS TO SLEEP ON WHEN THEY ARE SO FORTUNATE AS TO BE WITHIN ITS LIMITS TWO ROWS OF THE PLUSHY BRANCHES OVERLAPPING ALONG THE MIDDLE AND A CRESCENT OF SMALLER PLUMES MIXED WITH FERNS AND FLOWERS FOR A PILLOW FORM THE VERY BEST BED IMAGINABLE THE ESSENCES OF THE PRESSED LEAVES SEEM TO FILL EVERY PORE OF ONE'S BODY THE SOUNDS OF FALLING WATER MAKE A SOOTHING HUSH WHILE THE SPACES BETWEEN THE GRAND SPIRES AFFORD NOBLE OPENINGS THROUGH WHICH TO GAZE DREAMILY INTO THE STARRY SKY EVEN IN THE MATTER OF SENSUOUS EASE ANY COMBINATION OF CLOTH STEEL SPRINGS AND FEATHERS SEEMS VULGAR IN COMPARISON THE FIR WOODS ARE DELIGHTFUL SAUNTERING GROUNDS AT ANY TIME OF YEAR BUT MOST SO IN AUTUMN THEN THE NOBLE TREES ARE HUSHED IN THE HAZY LIGHT AND DRIP WITH BALSAM THE CONES ARE RIPE AND THE SEEDS WITH THEIR AMPLE PURPLE WINGS MOTTLE THE AIR LIKE FLOCKS OF BUTTERFLIES WHILE DEER FEEDING IN THE FLOWERY OPENINGS BETWEEN THE GROVES AND BIRDS AND SQUIRRELS IN THE BRANCHES MAKE A PLEASANT STIR WHICH ENRICHES THE DEEP BROODING CALM OF THE WILDERNESS AND GIVES A PECULIAR IMPRESSIVENESS TO EVERY TREE NO WONDER THE ENTHUSIASTIC DOUGLAS WENT WILD WITH JOY WHEN HE FIRST DISCOVERED THIS SPECIES EVEN IN THE SIERRA WHERE SO MANY NOBLE EVERGREENS CHALLENGE ADMIRATION WE LINGER AMONG THESE COLOSSAL FIRS WITH FRESH LOVE AND EXTOL THEIR BEAUTY AGAIN AND AGAIN AS IF NO OTHER IN THE WORLD COULD HENCEFORTH CLAIM OUR REGARD IT IS IN THESE WOODS THE GREAT GRANITE DOMES RISE THAT ARE SO STRIKING AND CHARACTERISTIC A FEATURE OF THE SIERRA AND HERE TOO WE FIND THE BEST OF THE GARDEN MEADOWS THEY LIE LEVEL ON THE TOPS OF THE DIVIDING RIDGES OR SLOPING ON THE SIDES OF THEM EMBEDDED IN THE MAGNIFICENT FOREST SOME OF THESE MEADOWS ARE IN GREAT PART OCCUPIED BY VERATRUMALBA WHICH HERE GROWS RANK AND TALL WITH BOAT SHAPED LEAVES THIRTEEN INCHES LONG AND TWELVE INCHES WIDE RIBBED LIKE THOSE OF CYPRIPEDIUM COLUMBINE GROWS ON THE DRIER MARGINS WITH TALL LARKSPURS AND LUPINES WAIST DEEP IN GRASSES AND SEDGES SEVERAL SPECIES OF CASTILLEIA ALSO MAKE A BRIGHT SHOW IN BEDS OF BLUE AND WHITE VIOLETS AND DAISIES BUT THE GLORY OF THESE FOREST MEADOWS IS A LILY L PARVUM THE FLOWERS ARE ORANGE COLORED AND QUITE SMALL THE SMALLEST I EVER SAW OF THE TRUE LILIES BUT IT IS SHOWY NEVERTHELESS FOR IT IS SEVEN TO EIGHT FEET HIGH AND WAVES MAGNIFICENT RACEMES OF TEN TO TWENTY FLOWERS OR MORE OVER ONE'S HEAD WHILE IT STANDS OUT IN THE OPEN GROUND WITH JUST ENOUGH OF GRASS AND OTHER PLANTS ABOUT IT TO MAKE A FRINGE FOR ITS FEET AND SHOW IT OFF TO BEST ADVANTAGE A DRY SPOT A LITTLE WAY BACK FROM THE MARGIN OF A SILVER FIR LILY GARDEN MAKES A GLORIOUS CAMPGROUND ESPECIALLY WHERE THE SLOPE IS TOWARD THE EAST AND OPENS A VIEW OF THE DISTANT PEAKS ALONG THE SUMMIT OF THE RANGE THE TALL LILIES ARE BROUGHT FORWARD IN ALL THEIR GLORY BY THE LIGHT OF YOUR BLAZING CAMP FIRE RELIEVED AGAINST THE OUTER DARKNESS AND THE NEAREST OF THE TREES WITH THEIR WHORLED BRANCHES TOWER ABOVE YOU LIKE LARGER LILIES AND THE SKY SEEN THROUGH THE GARDEN OPENING SEEMS ONE VAST MEADOW OF WHITE LILY STARS IN THE MORNING EVERYTHING IS JOYOUS AND BRIGHT THE DELICIOUS PURPLE OF THE DAWN CHANGES SOFTLY TO DAFFODIL YELLOW AND WHITE WHILE THE SUNBEAMS POURING THROUGH THE PASSES BETWEEN THE PEAKS GIVE A MARGIN OF GOLD TO EACH OF THEM THEN THE SPIRES OF THE FIRS IN THE HOLLOWS OF THE MIDDLE REGION CATCH THE GLOW AND YOUR CAMP GROVE IS FILLED WITH LIGHT THE BIRDS BEGIN TO STIR SEEKING SUNNY BRANCHES ON THE EDGE OF THE MEADOW FOR SUN BATHS AFTER THE COLD NIGHT AND LOOKING FOR THEIR BREAKFASTS EVERY ONE OF THEM AS FRESH AS A LILY AND AS CHARMINGLY ARRAYED INNUMERABLE INSECTS BEGIN TO DANCE THE DEER WITHDRAW FROM THE OPEN GLADES AND RIDGE TOPS TO THEIR LEAFY HIDING PLACES IN THE CHAPARRAL THE FLOWERS OPEN AND STRAIGHTEN THEIR PETALS AS THE DEW VANISHES EVERY PULSE BEATS HIGH EVERY LIFE CELL REJOICES THE VERY ROCKS SEEM TO TINGLE WITH LIFE AND GOD IS FELT BROODING OVER EVERYTHING GREAT AND SMALL END OF CHAPTER EIGHT PART ONE SENT-END  ==  [299968 frames] -64.9844 [Ac=-19493242.6 LM=0.0] (Act=36.2
+125 nodes / 124
+THOSE EVENING BELLS BY THOMAS MOORE READ FOR MOJOMOVE FOUR ONE ONE DOT COM BY ROBERT SCOTT AS PART OF THE VOXFORGE DOT ORG SHORTS WEEKLY MONOLOGUE COLLECTION THOSE EVENING BELLS THOSE EVENING BELLS THOSE EVENING BELLS HOW MANY A TALE THEIR MUSIC TELLS OF YOUTH AND HOME AND THAT SWEET TIME WHEN LAST I HEARD THEIR SOOTHING CHIME THOSE JOYOUS HOURS ARE PASSED AWAY AND MANY A HEART THAT THEN WAS GAY WITHIN THE TOMB NOW DARKLY DWELLS AND HEARS NO MORE THOSE EVENING BELLS AND SO T WILL BE WHEN I AM GONE THAT TUNEFUL PEAL WILL STILL RING ON WHILE OTHER BARDS SHALL WALK THESE DELLS AND SING YOUR PRAISE SWEET EVENING BELLS THIS RECORDING IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN SENT-END  ==  [7409 frames] -60.7459 [Ac=-450066.0 LM=0.0] (Act=27.3
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