Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-08-17
HOW OAK GROWS.
TO Produce Good Grove Requires iron
14O to 200 Years.

40 ffouuce n GOOD Grove Requires from
14O to 200 Years.
The extreme limit of the age of the
oak is not exactly known, but sound
and living specimens are at least one
thousand years old. The tree thrives
best in deep, tenacious loan with
rocks in it. Stagnant water is one of
its aversions. 1t grows better on a COM
paratively poor sandy soil than on rich
ground imperfectly drained The trunk,
at first inclined to be irregular in shape,
straightens at maturity into a grand
cylindrical shaft.
The oak does not produce good seed
until it is more than sixty years old.
1she acorn is the fruit of the oak; the
seed-germ is very small object at the
pointed end of the acorn, with the future
root uppermost. The acorn drops, and
its contents doubtless undergo impor-
tant molecular and chemical changes
while it lies under its winter covering
of leaves and 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 down
ward. The root penetrates the soil
WV vi OhICC lICllcS DelOTc UIlc SJdlK De-
gins to show itself and grow upward
The meat of the acorn nourishes
both root and stalk, and two years may
pass before its store of food is entirely
exhausted. At the end of a wear 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 diff
fers from the sapling, and again the
sapling differs from the tree. To watch
these transformations under the lens is
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 represent great deal
of power. They bore into the soil
and fatten themselves to penetrate a
crack in a rock. Invariably the tips
turn away from the light. The grow
ing point of a tiny outer root is back of
the tip small distance. The tip is
driven on by the force behind it, and
searches the soil for the easiest points
ofentrance. When the tips are destroyed
by distractions, cold, heat or other
SuuoCS, u hC" kLO"JII StdI 10 III vary ing
directions. The first roots thicken and
become girders to support the tree, no
longer feeding it directly, but serving
as conduits for the moisture and nour-
ishment gathered by the outer rootlets
which are constantly boring their way
into fresh territory. These absorb water
charged with soluble earth-salts-
sulphates, nitrates, phosphates OF
lime, magnesia and potash, etc
which passes through the larger
roots, stem and branches to the
leaves, the laboratory of new
growth. An oak tree may have seven
hundred thousand leaves, and from
June TO October evaporates two hun
dred and twenty-siX times its own
weight of water. Taking account Of
the new wood grown 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. tough
est nor the most beautiful. but it com
bines more good qualities than any
other kind. Its fruit is valuable food,
and its bark useful in certain indus
tries. An oak pile submerged for six
hundred and fifty 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 one hundred
and forty to two hundred years. 1t
seems long time to an American, bat
forestry is perpetual branch of eco
Monies when once established. -Ohio
State Journal,