The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-31
.ADLER-ROCHESTER
CLOTHES SHOPS

by downpour of rain. When its
light is seen from a great distance,
often through clouds near the hort
zon, it is called diffused heat, or
sheet lightning. The same appearance
may, however, be due to actually diff
fused and silent discharges at great
attitudes.
The same flash may strike and blast
a number of trees, and the results may
be quite curious and cratic as the
lightning itself. A tree may be
scorched, it may be stripped of it's
leaves, it may be cleft longitudina1ly,
or, more rarely, severed horizontally
Pieces of bark or wood may be torn
off in strips. One half of a trees
crown may be withered, the other half
remaining unframed. Sometimes the
bark is stripped from only one side,
occasionally without a trace of burn
ing; at other times it may be rid
died, as by worms, with a multitude
of little holes
The lightning furrow on a tree is
usually. single; but it may be double,
usually in parallel lines burrows
may be oblique or SPIRAL the current
in such cases following the grain of
the new wood. If the tree is inflam-
mable or is rendered very dry by the
Hash ire may result. In other cases
the dry duff or humus at the base of
the tree is ignited by the flash.
A flash of lightning striking upward
through the tree from it's base acts
as an explosive. The tree may then
be torn into small fragments, and
cases have been recorded where these
appeared like a piece of hemp If
the upward flash is less violent the
, trees may be split radially. The tops
OF trees have been torn off while the
lower parts remained uninjured. On
the other hand, the lower portion of
tree has been demolished while
the uppart part fell to the ground in
tact.
Lightning often strikes twice or more
than twice in the same place. Some trees
favorably located for attracting the flash
pear pear seven or eight scars, all visible. and
trunk. The same is true regarding ~ some
rocky SUBMITS and buildings. Out OF 9O7
eases recorded by one observer q were
repeated strokes on trees and buildings.
1t has been held, though not proved
that the big trees of California are re-
thouTh not killed, their leaders age broken
and their tops .stunted in consequence.
Inelr crowns would seem to favor this be-
mel A ad e5 giants their heights are
the taper of their boles
The effect of lightning on the ground
Is as remarkable as its effect upon trees.
1t NAV enter the ground without disturb
ing it or heating it, or it may tear large
holes or melt the surface, Although light
ming usually strikes the ground with
vertical stroke, it sometimes comes OBJ
liquely or almost horizontally, blowing
long burrows. Sometimes it tears a cir
cular or funnel-shaped hole, and, when
striking sand, forms fulgurites. These
are hollow tubes formed of the fused
materials and may vary from one half
inch to six inches in diameter. Fulgur-
ties may extend % feet into the earth,
and be vitrified CLASSY on the inside
and coarse-grained half fused on the
outside Sometimes the fulgurite has the
form of an inverted tree, with numerous
branches and branchlets.
When lightning strikes solid rock it may
either enter the mass and form a fugu-
rite tube or it may be diffused over its
surface, according to the conductivity of
the formation In one case it may split
the material into large small pieces,
v1treous coat, usually with noduies or
bl1sters. When these phenomena are
seen on high submits prominent points
they may be considered evidence of light
ming strokes. The presence of metals in
the earth increases the danger of the
stroke, and it is probable that veins of
metal favorably situated will protect sur
rounding nonmetallic areas
1t has often been stated that the ma
jority of persons killed by lightning
not the fact. More than one-half of
such deaths occur in the open and less
tnan one quarter under trees.
From earl times there has been a be-
lief that certain trees more than others
are likely to be struck by lightning The
elder Pliny said: lightning never strikes
the laurel This tree (Laurus nobilis)
was also called bay, and wreaths of its
leaves were worn by ancient rulers both
as a symbol of victory and a protec-
AGA and Plutarch held similar belief,
which may be traced down even to mod
times. but the theory as now held in
c1udes a number of trees, differing in
various countries. THIS belief was SO