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FOR REFERENCE USE ONLY Reproduced from the original in The Yale University Library Permission necessary for reproduction or
publication Muir, John Oakland Nov 25th 1873 Prof Gray, Dear friend Your report upon the plants sent from the head
of the North Fork of the San Joaquin was duly received Here are a few specimens collected by Dr Kellogg myself in a long excursion
southward about the heads of the Middle South Forks of the San Joaquin of the Kings Kern Rivers. The season was too far advanced
for much to be done in botany yet we met many plants new to us I made raids among the high fountains of these rivers wh resulted
in the discovery of many glaciers Yosemite Canons. We found a new pine, perhaps aristata? growing abundantly on both sides
of the Sierra at an elevation of from 9 to 11,000 ft on all the mountains about the head of the South Fork of Kings Kern Rivers.
In sheltered localities it grows straight as an arrow with a round smooth delicately tapered hole, with long upcurving branches,
some branches are reached out exceptionally long for the bearing of the cones after the manner of the sugar pine, this producing
a great variety of picture illegible forms. In old age the branches become lean