Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-01-21

young seed pods possess shining
light green color. The branches move
easily up and down in the summer
wind, the perfection of graceful mo-
ton and elegant outline. AS the sum-
mer advances toward autumn the seed
pods become long-sometimes half a
yard long-and are fiat, pendulous,
often twisted, ribbonlike.
In September this seed pod goes sud-
denly brown and establishes contrast
with the foliage that is well-nigh ludi-
crous. The fruit is so precious and SO
highly priced that the tree guards 1t
with triple spines or thorns set pug
naciously and threateningly at right
angles to the bole and to all the
branches. These spikes or thorns are
content to wear a livery Of green in
perfect accord with the leaves until
the time comes for the seed pods to
ripen and turn brown then the thorns,
knowing their duty, become blood red
and dangerous to look upon.
There is nothing in the woods more
strikingly sanguine than these senti-
nels which guard the locust harvest
from all possible marauders and rob.
bers The black bear, the honey lover,
never knew the lusciousness of the
honey-locust seed pod. The seed in the
pod is surrounded by and embedded
ducing sugar. The average honey To-
Gust rec is just the right size for
bear to climb, and the seeds ripen at
the time when Bruin was preparing
himself for his Information, which pre-.
paration consisted in fattening himself
on acorns and wild mast generally.
The sweet pulp of the honey locust
seed pod was undoubtedly the ideal
food for the bear in the days of his
preparation. But nature forestalled
him.
The seed pods persist throughout the
winter, either c,inging to the branches
or falling to the gr"und, and were ac-
cessable to the newly awakened and
hungry bears in the following spring,
but on awakening in the spring the
bear has lost his taste for vegetable
diet and resorted to the river brink to
catch fish or frogs. The honey locust
therefore escaped the ravages Of the
bear, against whom the thorns were
probably established and maintained.
The eight or ten species of oak found
in the neighborhood of Kansas City
are Just now busy in the final prepara.
ton of their acorns for distribution.
No tree or plant produces seed on
purpose to feed animals, birds or man.
kind. The oak produces acorns for the
sole purpose of adding new oaks to
tho forest. Any squirrel which appre.
ciates an acorn thereby violates the
law and express desire Of the parent
oak. The chestnut oak, whose acorns
are of a rich blue color, endeavors to
protect its fruit by blue-green foliage.
The laurel oak maintains its acorns
of this spring until another year, carry
ing them through the winter and Civ
| ing them complete maturity only at the
end of the second year.
Some of our favorite forest trees eX
hibit no fruit or seed at all in the
autumn, such as the maple, the elm
the cottonwood and the willow. These
send out their seeds in the first weeks
of spring on wings or balloons. The
maple seed went to the four winds on
wings and hastily found foothold OF
perished. Those that found congenial
soil terminated and reared small
tree, which now is as large as the
mustard, which the Bible says may af
ford lodging for bir"s.
The elm did similar thing and was
the first to mature it's fruit. The cot
tonwood sent out fleets of seed-laden
balloons. The box elder, first cousin
to the maple, has nourished its seeds
and will hold fast to them until next
spring. The box elder and the ash are
now exhibiting lar~e punches of seed
The ash is just now beginning to dis
tinguish itself beyond all other trees in
this latitude. The foliage is acquiring
purple color-not mere suggestion OF
purple, but a strong, royal display Of
1t.
Not infrequently near the royal ash
will be found the ironwood, a diminu
tive tree scarcely beyond the size of 6
bush. The wood of this tree will moi
float, but when thrown into watel
promptly sinks to the bottom as
piece of iron sinks. The seed Of thii
unique tree is quite small, but is con
tanned in pulp-like seed bag as large
as a quail's egg, of light brown color
This tree is not very abundant, bu
may be found by little search. Thu
seed bag covers the tree like foliage
and may be seen at some distance.
The visitor to the woods will note II
the coffee bean frui. pod the stronges
contrast with the surrounding foliage
to be seen in the forest. The coffee
bean fruit pod is about the size, shape
and color of an elderly gentleman
black spectacle case. A tree loaded
with such fruit may be interesting tt
look upon, but it is not inspiring o.
beautiful.
The least contrast between fruit ant
foliage will be found in the sycamore
The leaves of this tree are at all sea
sons cast over with saffron tinge
mi N11