The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-01-06
Collection of American Woods.

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ever made of material gathered from the
vegetable world is in course of preparation
at the Arsenal Building at Central Park.
A few more specimens now on the way are
needed to make it complete; and when
these are received the collection will COM
pose blocks from each of the 42O trees
indigenous to this country, most of which
have some economic or commercial value.
Each specimen block is sawn longitudinally,
diagonally and transversely, SO as to show
the characteristics of the wood. The col
lection has been made at the expense Of a
citizen of New York, who is well-known
for his public spirit and his large gifts to
promote the intelligence and welfare of the
people, Mr. Morris K. Jesup.
Among the many curious specimens is
one of the honey 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 intervals. The specl-
men arrived here in perfect condition, but
in order that it might be transported with
out injury, it had to be suspended from the
roof of box car, and thus make its trip
from Southern Missouri to this city with
out change.
Another strange specimen in the novel
collection is a portion of the Yucca tree,
an abnormal growth of the lily family.
The trunk, about two feet in diameter, is
spongy mass, not susceptible of treatment
to which the other specimens are subjected.
Its bark is an irregular, stringy, knotted
mass, with porcupine-quill-ike leaves
springing out in place of the limbs that
grow from all well-regulated trees. One
specimen of the Yucca was sent to the Mu-
scum two years ago, and though the roots
and top of the tree were sawn of, shoots
sprang out and number of the handsome
flowers appeared. The tree was supposed
to be dead and thoroughly seasoned by this
fall, but now, when the workmen are ready
to prepare it for exhibition, it has shown
new life, new shoots have appeared, and
two tufts of green now decorate the other
wise dry and withered log, and the Yucca
promises to bloom again before the winter
is over.
One of the most perfect specimens Of the
Douglass spruce ever seen is in the collec-
ton, and is decided curiosity. 1t is re-
cent arrival from the Rocky Mountains.
Its bark, two inches or more in thickness,
is perforated with holes reaching to the sap
wood. Many of these contain acorns, or
the remains of acorns, which have been
stored there by provident woodpeckers, who
dug the holes in the bark and there stored
their winter supply of food. The oldest
specimen in the collection is section OF
the Picea engelmanni, species of spruce
growing in the Rocky Mountains at con-
siderable elevation above the sea. The
specimen is twenty-four inches in diameter,
and the concentric circles show its age to be
40 years. The wood resembles the black
spruce, and is the most valuable of the Rocky
Mountain growths. Aspecimen of the nut
pine, whose nuts are used for food by the
Indians, is only fifteen inches in diameter,
and yet its life lines show its age to be 1863
years The largest specimen yet received
is section of the white ash, which is forty
six inches in diameter and 1872 years old.
The next largest specimen is section OF
the Platanus occidentalis, variously known
in commerce as the sycamore, button-wood,
or plane tree, which is forty-two inches in
diameter and only III years of age. Spec
linens of the redwood 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.. Jesup, who has
paid all the expense incurred in the col
lection of specimens, is having prepared as
an accompanying portion of the exhibition
water-color drawings representing the actual
size, color and appearance of the fruit, TO-
liage and flowers of the various trees.
Their commercial products, so far as they
can be obtained, will also be exhibited, as,
for instance, in the case of the long-leaved
pine, the tar, resin and pitch, for which it
is especially valued. Then, too, in her
barium the fruits, leaves and flowers are
preserved as nearly as possible in their nat
ural state When the collection is ready
for public view, next spring, it will be not
only the largest, but the most complete one
of its kind in the country. There Is moth
ing like it in the world, SO far as is known;
certainly not in the royal museums of Eng
land Franco or Germanv-N Y Times