Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-07-13
TContinued from fIrst pagei

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by four and four-tenths feet gives us AIS
years as the age Of this tree. This We
think is low estimate for in most Of the
white oaks that ! have measured, as the tree
increases in size the annual growths be.
come much smaller, in some instances Al
many as forty to the inch.
In the measurement Of twenty-sever
| white oaks found at saw-mills and Other
places, find the average growth to be four
and four tenths inches per inch Of wood.
none of these were over 100 years. of age.
| A maximum growth Of three years pei
inch was observed in a thrifty white oak
one foot indiameter. Even at this maximum
growth cur large oak would be consider
ably over 800 years.
While the minimum growth was % 46
years to the inch, at this rate it would be
over 1900 years old.
Our friend, John 3. Atkinson, of Ken
lucky, who takes great interest in the
growth and age Of oaks and other trees, has
furnished me through the courtesy of b.
Heritage, Of Middleton, a list Of fifty
large white oaks measured by himself in
Western Kentucky, from which make the
following observations:
The average of these tifty-three white
oaks, whose combined ages amount to Ii, !
HS14 years, averaging 223 years each, is IS
years per inch of diameter. At this rate
the Tatum Oak is 795 years old,
From the above are we not safe in CON
Guiding that this Grand Old Tree is not
less than i've hundred years old, and it
may be century more. Let US take look
backward and see the meaning of this.
It's not much over five hundred years
ago when Columbus first set foot on the
shores of America Can it be possible that
this old tree was then standing in the
virgin forests? Yes, we haye cause to
believe that through all these years it has
stood as a silent witness Of the great devel-
opment that has been going on.
It has seen the Red Man with his rude
implements Of stone entirely pass away,
and the white man with his intelligence
and numerous inventions of iron, steel,
steam and electricity take his place. It is
great, grand connecting link between the
far past and the present; let US cherish it
and do what we can to preserve and prolong.
its life.
On the bluff on the opposite bank Of the
Creek directly across from the Big Tree,
where the coal and lumber yard of Fl. G.
Green is now located, was once the site OF
an Indian village. This is determined by
the many fragments Of pottery, arrow
points and stone axes found there. On the
north side Of the bluff was located spring
Of clear cool water, near and around this
spring were these relics found in abund
ance; but these evidences of the Red Man
have now nearly all disappeared. Fifty
years ago some of them could be found any
time after dashing rain or high wind had
uncovered them.
l have in my possession some of these
relies, among them small arrow point
made Of obsidian or volcano glass. From
whence did they get this material Since
there is no known deposit Of this mineral
nearer than the National Park Of the
Yellowstone.
Had this large oak anything to do with
the location of this Indian village? About
two miles up the creek on the same or north
east side standing on the farm Of John T.
Rose, is another one Of these mammoth
white oakss 1t stands about one hundred
feet from the edge of the creek on gently
sloping grassy lawn some twenty-five or
thirty feet above the water, surrounded on
three sides by a wire fence, and is a mag
nificent shade tree in front Of the Rose
dwelling, its branches on all sides bend
ing towards the earth
measurement OF this tree taken 9Th
month End, 1905, is as follows: girth at the
earth, 80 feet 10 inches; at two feet from the
ground, twenty-one feet SIX inches; at four
feet nineteen feet: and at six feet, eighteen
feet ten inches; the spread Of branches
north east and south west, Is one hundred
and thirteen feet and six inches; the other
way one hundred and six feet; it holds its
circumference Of nineteen feet TO about the
height Of fifteen fees. The first branch
leaves the trunk at eleven feet six inches
from the ground, and reaches out sixty feet
from the trunk; this is a very shapely and
beautiful tree, and is much priced by its
present owner. 1t appears to be in good
health, and if no accident befalls ii, may
last another century. 1t has been, how
ever, the target for several tightening bolts.
It was struck, we are informed, on August
18th, 1903, and again on August 10th,
1904, but its careful owner helped nature
repair the damage from the stroke BY re-
moving the shattered bark and covering the