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Show 315 understands that the tree can grow on dry soil, its presence in well watered areas resulted from its own presence which "creates those streams." Muir admitted that he had confused cause and effect at first, but finally realized that the forest created its own environment when it conserved water. Thus the tree's incredible longevity was due partly to its own creation of a cordial environment. (b) Because of its monumental size, men assumed that the Sequoia was a bygone monument. "There were Giants in those Days," Emerson had said. Not true. The Sequoia was an example of "irrepressible fruitfulness." Part of the false notion that it was archaic was due to science's ignorance of the more vigorous southern groves which Muir had inventoried. The forest was ripe, yet growing. Since men measured time in such short terms, they could not appreciate the cycle of a species which was measured in thousands of years. (c) In the climax forest, "fire, the great destroyer of Sequoia," also furnishes one of the conditions for its renewal, though "the main supply of fresh soil is furnished hy the fall of aged trees." Indeed the branches of the Sequoias were themselves "faithful" and repaired damage done hy such mishaps as lightening strikes. In the cycle of life and death the forest maintained itself. (5) However, the climax state of the Sequoia forest could not be understood in terms of the trees alone. Not one Sequoia seed in a million germinated. This was not because Nature was "inefficient," rather the Sequoia was part of a |