Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-09
WIND BLOWN TREES.
Value of Their Study in Determining
the Climate.
From the Detroit Free Press.

From the Detroit Free Press
climate may best be taught by inducing
tho student to observe and study the con-
o,e+a facts of the weather. From these the
.racteristics of our climate may be de-
dpoed The drawing of differences from the
facts however, involves mental processes
in which the beginner needs training.
Familiarity with the inductive methoo Is
needed to give faith in it, and there Is espe-
cial need of every possible test OF the re-
su,ts For this reason it is desirable 10
came TO our conclusions by as many ROADS
az we can find If it is desired to get the
student to believe in our westerly WINDS aS
an important elm attic feature, we may
work along three lires:
L Observe the weather vane ana aI'ei
SC me months find which wind has blown
oftenest.
9 Study the weather map and make out
IN if the procession of highs and lows to
the eastward.
3 Look at the trees that have grown ex-
DC sed to the force of the winds Tor lnoica-
ticns of thrust in one direction rather than
in others.
+ To strengthen ard confirm the somewhat
vogue and indefinite conclusions that the
beginner may deduce from the nrst Two
methods the evidence of the trees whose
growth shows plainly the influence of the
prevailing wind is of the greatest value III
teaching.
The typical wind effect is not an inclina-
ton of the trunk although this may ap-
pear where the ground is softened, either
by moisture or by cultivation. The typical
effect is bending or inclinlng or the twlgs
to leeward, and for this reason the best
season for these studies is after the fall
OF the leaf. Our prevalent westerly winds
are recorded in the growth of the naples
from New England to Michigan. The maple
runs to slender and hair-like twigs, and the
development of the twigs is almost horizon
| tai on the east side of the tree and vertical
| on the west, as il they had been combed
upward on the other. Naples give excellent
| wind effects everywhere that have observ-
| ed them. If there any about Dodge,
Kan, where the prevailing wind is easterly,
| it would be interesting to know how they
grow.
The results of this wind influence are in
dividual with each kind of tree. While the
| cottonwood, at least about Ypsilanti, is re-
sistant to wind effects, its cousin, the white
poplar, shows them in high degree. In
| the poplar curves are strongly developed.
On the east side Of the tree the branches
| form curves concave to the ground. On the
| west vertical lines would cut not a few
branches in two points with the curve be-
tween concaye to the east. so strongly are
they bent to leeward as they grow In this
case it is branch effect. rather than a
twig effect. while the individuality of the
poplar comes out in the curve. The maple
succeeds better in rearing its greater
branches vertically into the air. There is a
distinct curving here. too, in the more
slender branches, but in much less degree.
Elms are available for observation
through wide stretch of this country. The
elm branches grow longer to eastward than
to westward. which enables the slender ends
to hang nearer the ground on the east. The
twig effect is not unlike that on the maple
but the greater length of the pendulous end
twig takes the appearance of combing up
ward the west side The tips of the
lower limbs on both sides hang directly
downward, but toward the top of the tree
the effects are almost identical with those
observed on the maple. Wind effects may
also be noted in the oak, the hickory, the
sycamore or buttonwood and the black wal
nut. Many tropical trees have their tops
one-sided under wind influence, though they
are one-sided to south or west, instead Of
to east.
The best trees for observation are those
standing alone in open space. where
they are not sheltered from the wind, and
where the direction of their growth Is not
influenced by unequal lighting. Trees tend
to grow strongly toward the light, but such
observations as have been made seem to
justify the statement that light usually has
less effect on trees fairly exposed to the
wind than the wind does. These studies
| may afford a method of determining preva-
lent winds in regions meteorologically unex-
ploIed.