The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-06-18
More About Those Trees.
EDIroR NEWS -

Mr. Doyle. asked Tor a leaI
from the supposed Sugar Maple.
and Mr.. d. has kindly sent
it. All doubt as TO Its kind Is
now dlssolved-the character OF
the leaf determines it to be the
Sugar Maple of Com merce, viz
ACER SACCHARUM, and not Red
or Silver Maple, as l thought II
might be. Mr.. Doyle is, there
fore, right in the name, and my
recollection was at fault. l would,
say, though, that the fact of the
trees being tapped and having a
crock beneath to catch the sap is
no evidence that 1t is a Sugar
Maple; for the "tap" and the
"crock" might be present, and
the tree be a Red, or a Silver
Maple; since both these trees, If
tapped IN early Spring, will ex-
ude a sweet juice or sap, which
may be, and often is made into
sugar; but the only real bona fde
Sugar tree Is the one named above,
and all persons should designate
1t by it's own distinctive name.
Let US be exact, and so avoid mis-
takes. The tree referred to by
Mr.. D., had, at four feet from
ground, "a glrth of Is feet, 81
inches on the lower side" What
does CLOVER side" mean? Please
explain. Mr.. D. further states
that the Elm in question "meas
ures Is feet, 3 inches at feet
from ground. No doubt that is
correct, but what is it at to 6
feet? The girth of trees should
be taken at 4 to 8 feet from base,
where the trunk Tor stem has
taken on it's natural, cylindrical
shape. Below this height there
is considerable swelling or bulg
ing, and measurements taken
here give no index as to the size
of the tree. All the other trees
mentioned by Mr.. D. are In the
same category as the Elm-they
we're measured too near the base.
Let me say, though, that all the
above named trees are great
enough to be viewed aud studied
| would like to mention Black
Walnut which stands in a field
(near the Ridge of the old Dixon
farm, if l mistake not. 1t can be
plainly seen in all It's regal splen.
dor, from the road, north of
town, near Mr.. Henry's house.
Why does not some person of ma
ture years, able to point out den
droidal beauty and utility, take
your boys and girls to see these
miracles of Nature? All young
persons should be taught TO love
and revere Nature, and to hold
com munlon often with her visible
forms, IN Earth, air and sky.
Much Of the matter crammed ln-
to chlldren's heads at school is
worthless, either as knowledge
or as mental discipline. Nothing
learned from Natures school is
useless; here the physical, the
mental, the moral ay! religious,
all are brought out (educated)
naturally, progressively, perfect
ly. Gods Out-of-Doors is the
best school of training tor any
human being when the supreme
question: of Destiny is regarded.
Llfe's best lessons are not learned
at school, nor from books but
they are found in the "pathless
woods, "by the lonely shore, "
"books IN the running brooks, "
sermon IN stones" !" "good 10
everything" Study Nature!
Now, Mr.. Editor, no doubt
am somewhat prohX, but please
forbear until 1 inquire whether
there are not others in old Fulton
who love the trees especially
teachers), and who will send you
ac cunts of large ones they meet,
and If not out of order, may | not
suggest that the Rev. George
Shoemaker, of Iowa (from whom
letter to the News is now due),
clip off portion of the time he
devotes to fishing for shad, and
send you a report of some of the
natural" trees he wrote of IN
his last letter? Thanking you
for so much space. am