the crest of one of the radial ridges char[54] acterizing the mountain, which it follows to a junction with the old trail about 1000 feet above the sea. Below this point the old trail has become dif- ficult to traverse and has been abandoned. Thus far the old soil on the slopes was not destroyed by the eruption blasts or buried deeply in the new deposits of ash and mud. Hence the fertility disiminished and of the soil was not disiminished and the restoration of the plantlife has been rapid. The slopes and crests of the ridges are covered with luxuriant a vegetation. 41 Near the junction of the new with the old trail there is a Span. ash ash [look up Sands article for scientific name] tree about 25 feet high and with a trunk 12 inches in diameter which has grown up