Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-12-03
SLOW GROWTH OF THE OAK.
Sixty Years Old Before Good Seed Is Pro-
duced-Acttvity OF the Roots

Sixty Years Old Before Good Seed Is Pro-
duced-Acttvity Of the Roots.
The extreme limit OF the age Of
the oak is not exactly known, says
the Ohio State Journal, but sound
and living specimens are at least
1000 years old. The tree thriyes
best in deep, tenacious loan with
rocks In it. Stagnant water is one
Of its ayersions. 1t grows better on
comparatively poor sandy soil than
on rich ground imperfectly drained.
/ The trunk, at first inclined to be ir
regular in shape, straightens at ma
turity into grand cylindrical shaft.
The oak does not produce good
seed until it is more than sixty years
old The acorn is the fruit OF the
eak; he seed germ is very small
object at the pointed end Of the
acorn, with the future root upper
most. The acorn drops, and its con-
tents doubtless undergo important
molecular and chemical chfnges
while it lies under its winter cover
ing Of leaves or snow. In the mild
warmth of spring the acorn swells,
the little root elongates, energies
from the end OF the shell, and no
matter what the position of the
acorn turns downward. The root
penetrates the soil two or three
inches before the stalk begins TO
show itself, and grows upward. The
meat of the acorn nourishes both
root and stalk, and two years may
pass before its store of food is entire
ly exhausted. At the end Of a year
the young oak has root twelve to
eighteen inches long, with numerous
shorter rootlets, the stalk being from
six TO eight inches high. In this
stage it differs from the sapling, and
again the sapling differs from the
tree To watch these transforms
lions under the lens is a fascinating
occupation.
If an oak could be suspended in the
air with all its roots and rootlets per-
feet and unobscured, the sight would
be considered wonderful. The activity
of the roots represents great deal of
power. They bore into the soil, and
fatten themselves topenetrate crack
in rock. Invariably the tips turn
away from the light. The growing
point of tiny outer root is back of
the tip small distance. The tip is
driven in by the force behind it, and
searches the soil for the easiest points
of entrance. When the tips are de-
stroyed by distractions, cold, heat, or
other causes, new growth starts in
varying directions The first roots
thicken, and become girders to sup
port the tree, no longer feeding 1t di-
rectly, but serving as conduits for
the moisture and nourishments gath
cred by the outer rootlets, which are
constantly boring their way into
fresh territory. These absorb water
charged with soluble earth, salts, sui
pilates of lime, magneSia and potash,
etc which passes through the larger
roots, stems, and branches to the
leaves, the laboratory Of new growth.
An oak tree may have 700, 900 leaves,
and from June TO October eyapOrate
226 times its own weight Of water.
Taking account of the new wood
growth, I'VE obtain some idea of the
enormous gain of matter and energy
from the outside universe which goes
on each summer"
Oak timber is not the heaviest,
toughest, nor most beautiful, but it
combines more good qualities than
any other kind. Its fruit is valuable
food, and its bark useful in certain
industries. An oak pile submerged
for $50 years in London bridge came
up in sound condition, and there are
specimens from the Tower of London
which date from the time of William
Rufus To produce good oak grove
requires from 40 to 200 years. 1t
seems a long time to an American,
but forestry is perpetual branch of
economics when once established.