The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-11-23
SLOW GROWTH OF THE OAK.
sixty Years ola Bcforr Good Seed u IRE
duc-d-Artivi,y of the Roots.

sixty Years old Bcforc Good Seed Z. Pre-
doc-d-Activi,y of tn, Roots.
The extreme limit OF the age ot
the oak Is not exactly known, says
the Ohio State journal, but sound
and living specimens are at least
1000 years old The tree thfivc.
best In n deep, tenacious loan with
rocks In H. Stagnant water IL one
OF Its ayersions. H. grows better on
comparatively poor sandy soil than
on rich ground imperfcctlY drained.
The trunk, at first inclined To bc ir.
regular In shape, straightens at ma
turity into grand cylindrical shaft.
The oak does not produce good
seed until H. Is more than sixty years
old The acorn Is the fruit OF tho
oak; the seed germ Is u 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 changes
while IL lies under It's winter cover.
ing Of leaves or snow. In the mild
warmth of spring the acorn swells,
the little root clongates. emerges
from the end Of the shell, and no
matter what the position OF the
acorn turns downward The root
pcnetrates the soil two or three
inches before the stalk begins 10
show itself, and grows upward. The
meat OF the acorn nourishes both
root and stalk, and two years may
pass before It's store of food Is entire.
ly exhausted. At the end of n year
the young oak has Il root twelve to
eighteen inches long, with numerous
shorter rootlcts, the stalk being from
ak to eight inches high. In this
stage IL differs from the sapling. and
again the sapling differs from the
tree. To watch these transforma.
tions under the lens is Il fascinating
occupation.
If an oak could be suspended in the
air with all It's roots and rOOtlcts per-
feet and unobscurcd, the sight would
be considered wonderful. The activity
Df the roots represents great deal Of
power. They bore into the soil, and
tlatten themselves TO penetrate Il crack
in rock. Invariably the tips turn
away from the light. The growing
point Of II tiny outer root is back Of
the tip small distance. The tip Is
driven In by the force behind IL, and
searches the soil for the easiest points
Of entrance. When the tips are de.
stroycd by distractions, cold, heat, OF
other causes, Il new growth starts In
varying directions The first roots
thickcn, and become girders to sup .
port the tree, no longer feeding II di.
rcctly, but serving as cOnduits fOf
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 evaporate
226 times its own weight OF water.
Taking account OF the new wood
growth, "we obtain some idea of the
enormous gain OF matter and energy
from the outside universe which goes
on each summer"
Oak timber Is not tho heavl ,st,
toughest, nor most beautiful, but IL
combines more good qualities than
any other kind. Its fruit is valuable
food, and It's 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 l40 to 200 years. 1t
seems long time to an American,
but forestry Is perpetual branch OF
economics when once established.