The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-12-04
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
Observations on Trees in Relation to
Their Ability to Conduct Light.
ming to the Ground, q.


Observations on Trees in Relation to
Their Ability to Conduct Light
ming to the Ground.
Suggestions to Persons Who Keep ons Cow
for supplying Family With Auk.
Trees % Lightning Conductors
During the past few years great in
terest has becn taken in England,
France. and Germany in trees Is con-
ductors of electricity. In the opinion
OF some trees afford much better pro-
lection against lightning than rods Of
any kind Of metal that are attached to
buildings. Trees have an advantage
over rods in being cheaper and in or
namenting the ground about buildings,
while rods of metal attached to the
buildings serve to disigurc them. The
circumstance that lightning struck
trees probably suggested to FRANKLIN
tho employment OF metal conductors
for the purpose Of conveying the cleo
trical discharge to the earth. All who
have been in q forest during thund.
er storm have witnessed the pranks of
lightning among the trees. An Eng
lish engineer who spent several years
in this country thus writes on the
subject: During surveys in the forests
of the United States, when Inecessar-
lily lived under canvas, / often had the
opportunity OF witnessing the effects
OF lightning on trees, and my expert
cnces lead me to believe that trees are
only destroyed by lightning when they
have been previously wettcd by rain.
A sojourncr in tho woods, whether be
Is taken in pursuit of game or with
tho object of prospecting for timber,
minerals. and land, is always careful
to erect his tent under q short, thick
treo in order to escape the danger of
lightning or of trees falling and bring
ing down others in their way on him;
and it was often while thus situated l
noticed after stormy nights when
lightning and thunder were accom-
panied by rain that many trees had
fallen. The report OF the swapping of
tho trunks would remind one Of that
of the firing of q cannon, and when
lightning and thunder were not ac-
companicd by rain Gin tho immediate
locality of our camp at any rate) no
trees had been struck. infer from
the same observations that tho light
ming always strikes the tallest trees,
whatever their species may be, for tho
taller whito pines aud poplars were
most often seen destroyed and the
shorter naples, linden, birch trees.
ETC., rarely so; also that the sap be-
tween tho wood and the bark Of tho
tree does not increase the chance of it's
destruction.
A gentleman connected with the
Kew botanical gardens suggests that
the meteorological Offices in different
countries collect reliable data EN-.
bodying tho observations of different
persons as to the particular circunl-
stances attending thunder storms
during which moro or less injury has
boon done trees. lie states as II result
of his own observation that certain
kinds of trees are much more likely to
be injured by lightning than others,
which goes TO show that they are very
poor conductors Of electricity. Tho
condition of tho tree in regard to age
and vigor has also, in his opinion.
much to do in making 1t a goad or bad
conductor. In o communication to 1.
London paper he says: The compara-
tive conductibility Of different trees is
not wholly, in my opinion. a question
of species. Tho same species ut diff
ferent stages of growth, and growing
under different Circumstances, wifi
exhibit widely different degrees of
conductibility. Doubtless tho hard
ness of tho wood and the character of
the gram, and also tho character of
tho ramilication, have much to do
with that cs;stance 10 tho electric
fluid which results in damage to limbs
or trunk. Hence. probably, why the
oak, which is remarkable for the gen.
cral closencss and hardness of it's
grain. and tho ruggedness and con-
tortiOn of it's ramiticat;on, so fire..
quently suffers. while sOft-wooded
trees. like the poplars, Escape. But
younger oaks under the same circum-
stances might escape, while Older and
harder and dr:er trees would DO bro.
ken by the electric fluid. A mistake
commonly made is to speak of certain
trees being ''struck" by lightning, the
word ''struck" being applied 10 those
trees that are injured by lightning.
Thousands Of trees are struck during
every thunderstorm that takes place
over woody country; but. being struck
noiselessly and without resulting in.
jury. they are not noticed. Ii is
doubtless the superior or inferior con-
ductive power of q tree which SUBJ
jects il to, or exempts it from, harm
from lightning; but it is the greater or
less moisture of tho branches and
trunk which regulates the conductive
power. The form Of tree. too, has
much to do with its exemption from
hurtful strokes. The Lombardy pop
lar is about the best form, because its
branches, pointed upward, are like SO
many lightning conductors. Tho oak
is about the worst form, because its
branches and limbs are nearly always
Tin those trees which are mostly dam.
aged) placed athwart the course of the
electric fluid. Tho Lombardy poplar
also is of much moister and softer
substance than the oak, and conse.
quently gives freer passage to cleo.
tricity.
The best conductors of electricity
are not those tina. are 'struck" bv i,
discharge from cloud, but those
which silently convey il to the earth
without being shattered or injured in
any way. That many trees do this
seems certain. In all probability
trees whose leaves present many sharI
points arc tho best conductors Of cleo.
tricity. Each point attracts cleo.
tricity, and is the means of directing
it through the brancl, and trunk t.
the earth. The amount conveyed b,
each is so small that no part of tho
tree sustains any damag 20. Leave.
like those of the holly tree are adj
mirably formed for attracting cleo
tricity. The points on tho foliage o.
fir are of the desired shape to attract
electricity, but the resin in tho fir tire,
serves to mako it poor conductor
In Hat and nearly level country like
our western prairies lightning doe.
not always ''str;ke" tho highest oh
iects. 1t sometimes enters the side q
build ng instead of diScllarging itsel
on the chimney. the highest place o,
tho roof or other projecting point