Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-23
WON BOARD OF
TRADE PRIZE

Do you realize when walking In
some shady grove. or among tine large
stately trees OF some forest, the i'm
mense value trees are to man. Do
you ever realize what this earth would
be without them? 1t is plainly seen
that this earth would be a great deal
different II 1t were not for the trees.
Before discussing the uses of trees,
let us study them as they grow in
the forest. The first to be considered
is the part of the tree.
A tree consists of three parts, the
roots, the trunk or stem and the
crown.
The roots. which support the tree.
extend into the ground three or four
feet. and still deeper If the earth Is
soft, or If there Is not sufficient mois-
ture near the surface. The tree takes
in It's nourishment through the roots
which take water and certain mineral
substances from the soil.
The trunk supplies the crown with
the nourishment obtained from the
roots. and also supports II. This food
which passes through the trunk en-
ters the crown. which consists of
leaves, twigs and branches, where 1t
is digested and prepared to assist in
the growth OF the tree. The crown
Is the principal part OF the tree. With
out 1t the tree could not live, nor
would 1t be OF any use for protection,
or shading purposes. The kind of
lumber produced from the tree de-
pends great deal on the crown. II
the crown Is low and covers a good
portion OF the tree, the lumber will
be knotty, but If the crown is small
and grows near the top, a large por-
ton OF the lumber sawed from the
trunk will be clear.
Besides the food taken in by the
roots to nourish the tree. the leaves
take in carbonic acid gas. and throw
on Oxegen.
The material mentioned before,
which assists the ingrowth of the tree.
Is pread In thin layers on the surface
under the bark of tree and all twigs
and branches over year old. The
layers, which form annually, are sep
arated by thin tissue. SO on a cross
section of well developed tree, the
layers appear as rings. The age of a
tree can be told by counting the
number of rings on the stump. when
the tree has been cut down.
Trees like people. require certain
climates. Some trees thrive only in |
warm belts. others require milder eli |
mate, and some. like the willow. birch |
and spruce. are found as far north as
the Artic circle.
Trees may differ even on a mountain. |
Some which require more heat than |
others. grow on the south side, while |
others that do not require SO much
sun and heat grow on the north side
and in ravines and canons.
Trees require moisture, as well as
difference In climate. Some of the
most extensive forests are found
where the rain is most plentiful
Nature has supplied the trees with
many ways of distributing their seeds.
Some seeds that are light, are carried
by the wind. some by birds or ami
mails and a great many by various
other ways.
Among the abundant seeds that are
produced from the trees annually, are
a good many that succeed in sprout-
ing. These send up small shoots or
seedlings. as the young trees of less
than three feet In height are called
For the first year or two the seedlings.
II not too crowded. grow rapidly. un-
der the protection of the larger trees.
which shelter them from the hot sun
and fierce storms; but they do not
thrive in too much shade. When
reaching the age of three or four
years, II the larger trees shade them
too much, they will either die, or be
stunted and sickly.
The height of tree depends great
deal on the nature OF 1t, and its sur
roundings. Some grow a great deal
faster than others, SO those whose
growth is slow. are passed by the
others. and left in the shade, which
helps great deal to stunt their
growth. Branches, of tree, that are
shaded, soon die. and In time these
dry limbs break off. thus a natural
way VI pruning tne Tree Is provided.
Since l have mentioned something
about the trees as they appear in the
forest, 1t would perhaps be interesting
to know OF some OF their enemies.
So speaking man is one Of the worse
enemies OF the forest Thousands of
square miles OF forests have been
destroyed by numbering Taxation is
the fault OF a great deal of the de-
struction. A man that owns large
timber claim. has to pay heavy tax
on the land. and rather than pay ii
be II forced to sell or cut the timber.
thus the forest is destroyed.
Another great destruction is caused
by using 1t for pasture. Hundreds of
acres Of nne forest are burned every
year, for no other reason than to
improve the grazing, and make more
pasture lands. Were 1t not for this,
many acres OF land used for pasture,
would be covered with forest.
The worst enemy Of the forest is
the forest nres. These occur in \
good many different ways. Sometimes
By the carelessness Of man. or by the