Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
Prize Essay from
the Seventh Grade

| For the best essay on trees by the
| pupils of the Durango public schools
the board of trade offered prize for
the eighth grade. the school board for
| the seventh grade and the Ladies'
| Reading club for the ninth and tenth
grades. Markings were made on three
points: lCorrectneas OF expression,
| subject matter and originality.
The following is the prize essay OF
ollie Winner. in the seventh grade
of the park school on the subject nf
trees, which will be of interest:
What would this world do w.thuus
| trees? There would be no houses
| (fnr even II house were to be tone
or brick some parts would have to
be wood) there would ne rc nricges.
no ships, In fact nearly everything
depends In some way upon wood; .f
we should try to dig gold we would
fnU that great deal OF wood would
be needed TO help us, the handles OF
the picks and shovels would have to
be wood, and the iron was obtained
by some help of wood.
Long ago, before such thing as
iron, gold silver, coal or any other
metal or mineral was heard OF, wood
was used for everything. All work
ing implements were made of wood
then when these minerals were dis
covered II took some help of wood
to take them from the ground. Even
then wood was still a very useful
article.
To see n tree growing on the hill
side one would not stop to think what
that tree might someday be. But II
they did, they would see 1t in many
different places, II might help TO build
q house, ship. a railroad. some piece
of furniture, or II left to stand It
might be some day covered by an
earthquake or landslide and many
centuries from now some one would
be digging coal at this place: this
very tree turned into coal.
Think of the foods that are obtain
ed from trees-apples, peaches. pears.
and many other kinds of fruits. he
sides the different kind OF nuts. spices.
medicines. and other products OF the
trees of the torrid zone. The sap from
the maple tree ia made into maple
sugar and syrup.
There are many kinds of cabinet
woods used for making furniture, such
as cedar. oak, rosewood. etc. The yel-
low pine Is n useful kind OF tree,
from It resin, turpentine and tar are
obtained. Rubber Is very useful
article from the rubber trees.
Trees beautify homes, and shelter
them In summer from the sun, and in
winter from the storm. Hammocks
and swings are hung in trees thus
making 1t pleasant for many people.
The poplar is a very common yard
tree, it grows very tall and SO throws
good shade, It is considered by
many people very pretty tree. All
large cities have several parks where
the people can gather and enjoy the
shade OF the trees In the long hot,
summer days.
The pine. the pinon and the cedar
make very pretty Christmas trees. A
great many trees are sacrificed every
year for this purpose. Those which
are not pretty enough for Christmas
are used for building purposes, and
firewood.
There are many kinds Of palms In
the torrid zone. Some kinds OF palms
produce dates which prove to be the
principal food for many tribes OF the
desert. In some places In the desert
where there are springs. date palms
,.th
the travellers can rest and eat and
get water. Other good products OF
different kinds of trees are sago, rat
tan, wine and oil Sage is a starch
product. Rattan is a long slender
stalk used for making furniture. Wine
is made from the sap of palm trees
The bread fruit thrives in many
parts of the hot zone, this Is very
useful tree 1t Is sometimes baked,
and sometimes ground into -four. 1t
grows about the size of child's head.
In some places the dates, bananas
and bread fruit are the principal food
OF the natives.
Another very useful tree to the ma
tives is bamboo. This tree which
/ 10 a 'odb nt bA'SotaN' pA&hN SapVo ~
| be about fifty or seventy feet high.
| 1t is used for many purposes; the
| young tender shoots are used for food.
The softer part of the stalks are
| ground into pulp. which is made into
paper. Strips Of bamboo are made
into baskets, chairs and other such
articles. Nearly all the natives make
their huts out of bamboo.
Trees make homes for birds and
small animals. In Asia and Africa
where there are such dense forests
It is very dangerous to go through
the woods, for many large animals and
snakes are hidden In the trees watch
ing for their prey.
| Rev. George c. Richmond Roches-