File:The mountains of California (1898) (14776436215).jpg

Identifier: mountainsofcalif00muiruoft (find matches)
Title: The mountains of California
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Muir, John, 1838-1914
Subjects: Sierra Nevada (Calif. and Nev.) California -- Description and travel
Publisher: New York The Century
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
in calm, glowing days, while the bees are still on thewing, a storm-cloud may be seen far above in thepure ether, swelling its pearl bosses, and growingsilently, like a plant. Presently a clear, ringingdischarge of thunder is heard, followed by a rushof wind that comes sounding over the bendingwoods like the roar of the ocean, miugling rain-drops, snow-flowers, honey-flowers, and bees inwild storm harmony. Still more impressive are the warm, reviving daysof spring in the mountain pastures. The blood ofthe plants throbbing beneath the life-giving sun-shine seems to be heard and felt. Plant growth goeson before our eyes, and every tree in the woods, andevery bush and flower is seen as a hive of restless in-dustry. The deeps of the sky are mottled withsinging wings of every tone and color; clouds ofbrilliant chrysididse dancing and swirling in ex-quisite rhythm, golden-barred vespidae, dragon-flies,butterflies, grating cicadas, and jolly, rattlinggrasshoppers, fairly enameling the light.
Text Appearing After Image:
^T: — UBWHHiemtRT* >-r^ ^^ 366 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA On bright, crisp mornings a striking optical ef-fect may frequently be observed from the shadowsof the higher mountains while the sunbeams arepouring i^ast overhead. Then every insect, nomatter what may be its own proper color, burnswhite in the light. Gauzy-winged hymenoptera,moths, jet-black beetles, all are transfigured alikein pure, spiritual white, like snowflakes. In Soathern California, where bee-culture hashad so much skilful attention of late years, thepasturage is not more abundant, or more advan-tageously varied as to the number of its honey-plants and their distribution over mountain andplain, than that of many other portions of theState where the industrial currents flow in otherchannels. The famous White Sage (Audihertia),belonging to the mint family, flourishes here in allits glory, blooming in May, and yielding greatquantities of clear, pale honey, which is greatlyprized in every market it has yet reached.

Note About Images