The Cecil Whig., 1883-01-13
Collection OF American Woods.

One of the most inter esting exhibitions
ever made of material gathered from the
vegetable world is in course of prepara-
tion at the Arsenal Building a; Central
Park. \ few more specimens now on
the way are needed to make it complete;
and when these are received the collec-
tion Will compose blocks from each of the
42O trees indigenous to this country, most
of which have some economic CT CONNER
cial value. Each sp ,cimen block is sawn
longitudinally, diagonally and transverse
", 80 as to show the characteristics Of
the wood The collection has been made
at the expense Of a citizen of NV York,
who is well known for his pnblic spirit
and his large gifts to promote the inteli-
gence and welfare of the people. Mr..
Morris X. Jesup.
Among the many curious specimens is
one of the heney locust, which was
brought here from Missouri. The bark
is covered with growth of thorns from
one to four inches in length, sharp as
needles. and growing at irregular inter
walls. The specimen arrived i'll perfect
condition, but in order that it might be
transported without injury. it had to be
suspended from the roof of a box car.
and thus make its trip from Southern
Missouri to this city without change.
Another strange specimen in the novel
collection is a portion of the i'ucca tree.
az abnormal growth of the lily family.
The trul k. about two feet in diameter, is
a spongy mass, not susceptible of treat
ment to which the other specimens are
subiected. It's bark is an irregular
>rringy, knotted mass with porcupine-
Iuill-hks leaves springing ont in place "f
the ltnbS that grow from all well-r' gu
lated trees. One specimen of the Yucca
vas sent to the Museum two wears ago
nd though the roots and top o1 the tree
were sawed off. shoots sprang ont N d -
'umhrr of the handsome flowers ap
,"ared. The tree was Snpp ,Sed to he
Tad and thoroughly seasoned bv this
al, hut now. when the workmen a"a
'eadv 10 prepare it for exhibition. it has
,hnwn new life. new shoots hav. appear
ed and tw" tn'ts of green now decorate
the otherwise drv and withered log and
the Gn"ca p'nmi>es to bloom again be-
5nre the winter is over.
one of the mast perfect specimens Of
| the y m.laSS spruce ever seen is IN the
cnl' CT >n. and i a deci ied r:rinsitv. II
is a lrc.nt arrival from ihe Rnrkv Mnnn-
tainS. Its bark two inches ar mare in
thickness. is perforated with holes reach
ing tn the saPwnrd Manv of these con-
! tain acorns. or the rem inS of acprnS
which have been stored there hv provi
d., woodpeckers. who ding the holes in
| the bark and there stored thci" winter
supply Of iood The oldest spec men in
the collection is section of the P;rea en-
| gelmdHh5. II species Of spruce growing in
the Rocky Mountains at a considerable
elevation above the sea. The specimen
is twenty four inches in diameter. and tbs
! concentric circles show its aga to be 41t
| wears. The wood resembles the black
| spruce. and is the most valuable Of the
! Rocky Mountain gr"wths. 4 specimen
oe the nutpine. wnoSa nntS are used fol
food by the Indians. is only fifteen inches
| in diameter. and vet lis life lines show it,
age to lie 500 wears The largest speci
men vet received is ctinn of the whit,
! ash wflicl is fortv- Six inches in iii .metel
and 1>2 wears old. The next larCes
specimen is a section of The Platahus 0r
cidtatdii>.. variousiy known in commcrc,
as the sycamore button wood, or plan,
! tree. which is fortv-two inches in diane
ter and only III wears of age. Specimens
OF .he red wood tree OF California are
now on their way to this city from The
Yosemite Valley.
To accompany these specimens Of the
! woods of America, Mr.. Jesnp. who has
paid all the expense incurred in the col
lection of specimens. is having prepared
as an accompanying portion Of the exhi
! bition water color drawings representing
the actual size. color and appearance o
the fruit. foliage and flowers Of the vari
| ous trees. Their commercial products
So far as thev can be obtained. will alSc
be exhibited, as, for instarca. III the cast
OF the long leaved pine, the tar. resin
and pitch. for which it is especially val
ued. Then. too. in a hel barum the
frnits. leaves and flowers are preserved
as nearly as possible in th.ir natura
state. When the collection is ready 70
public view. next spring. it will be no,
only the largest. bnt the most complet,
one Of its kind in the country. There il
nothing like it in the world. so far as i
known: certainly not the roval mus
Gums of England, FIR nee or g. rmany.
y y 7J0,s