The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-12-03
Natures Compass Signs.

The many different methods to deter
mine the cardinal points while on the
mountains. in both heavy timber and small
bush, or upon the featurelesS expanse of
great marsh, are exceedingly numerous
and reliable enough for all practical pur-
poses during an everyday life in the bush,
unless a very long journey IS 10 be made.
which would require number Of days, and
would make 1t necessary to hold on very
fine point while making so long a dis
lance.
We viii first take notes on the coniferous
trees, pines. frs, spruce, cedars, hemlocks,
etc. The bark Of these is always lighter
in color, harder and dryer on the south
side of the tree: while It is in color much
darker. is also damper. and often covered
with mould and moss on the north side.
The gum that oozes out from wounds,
knot-holes. ETC.. Is usually hard and often
of beautiful amber color on the south side.
while on the northern side it remains sticky
longer and gets covered with insects and
dirt, seldom drying out more than dirty
gray in color.
On large trees that have rough bark, es-
pecially during the fall and winter months,
the nests and webs of insects, spiders, ETC.,
will always be found IN the crevices on
the south side. A preponderance of the
large branches will also be found on the
warmest or southern side Of the trees. Also
the needles of all The aforementioned
trees are shorter, dryer, and of yellowish
green on the southern side, while they
will be found longer. more slender, and
plable, damper to the touch, and darker
green in color on the north side. The cedar
and hemlocks, as IL trying to Guido the
$L1;r e1ar NJ
new growth toward a southern sky.
The HARDWOOD trees are equally as COM
municative, and have all the characterize
les so far as regards their trunks, as the
coniferous trees, except the absence of
gums: but this is more than made up by
the fungous growth of mould and MOSES
that is very noticeable on the north side
Of these trees.
The lodges of rocks. which may be part
of stupendous mountains. or merely an oc-
casional dropping out here and there in
the woods, or perhaps some great boulder
alone by itself silent witness of the
glacial period, all alike testify to- the eff
feet of light and shade The sunny side
will usually be bare, or at most only
boast of a thin growth of harsh, dry kind
of MOSES, that will only grow when hav-
ing the light; while the northern sides will
be found damp and mouldy, and often COW
cred with luxuriant growth of soft, damp
moses that love the shade. while every
crevice will bear aloft beautiful and grace
fully waving ferns.
The forest floor on the sunny side OF hills,
ridges, clumps of trees, bushes, big rocks
ETC., is more noisy under the football than
on the northern side of such places. where
the dead leaves and litter are soft and
damp holding more moisture than in pla-
ces exposed to. the light Of the sun.
In an open country nearly void of tim
Der, clumps ofssmail bushes during summer
will furnish all the conditions found to ex-
list among the leaves of the trees, being
equally sensitive to light and shade as are
the monarchs of the woods. The landscape
green, with moving grasses and beautiful
to the eye, which feasts on the countless
numbers of wild flowers, representing ev-
cry form and hue known in the fowery
kingdom, also furnishes reliable guide for
locating the cardinal points. as most wild
flowers, especially the long-stemmed va
rieties. hide their faces from the north.
and. like the sunfiower, turn toward a
southern sky. Large boulders, clumps of
small bushes, mounds, and small hum
mocks-all testify, too, for the ground
around such places exposed 10 the sun
will be burned nearly bare of vegetation,
or parched up until of a dead-grass color:
while on the shady side II viii be found
quite green. and often here there are grow
ing MOSES and ferns of rare beauty, which
thrive only where they have moisture and
shade.-George W. Dearborn in Forest and
Stream