The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-09-30
SAY BIGGEST SHADE
TREE Is ALSO BEST
Foresters Declare Sycamore, Prize
Winning Species, is Especially Suit
able for City Planting.

prize SoHieSt Heiu Ny ttle hHhciiSa
Genetic Association, should turn out
to be the eastern sycamore is not sur
prising, say Government foresters
The sycamore has long been regarded
as the largest deciduous tree in North
America and its range Of growth is
hardly second to that Of any other
broad-leaf tree; for it can be found
from Maine to Florida, and as far
west as Kansas.
The bestowal of the prize on syc-
amore at Worthington, Indiana, which
is az feet, 3 inches in circumference
and $50 feet tall, draws attention to
the fact that foresters are nowadays
recommending the species especially
for city planting. They say that long
experience with sycamores planted in
city streets has shown that the spe-
cies is peculiarly able to Withstand the
smoke, dust, and gases which are u.s.
ually an unavoidable complement of
urban life. In addition, the sycamore
is as resistent to attacks of insects
and fungi as almost any species, and
is quick grower; at ten years OF age,
healthy sycamore usually is already
large enough for shade as we'll as for
decorative purposes. As for the lat
ter, there is hardly any eastern spe.
cies which is generally held so pictur-
esque as the sycamore. With its
strinkingly mottled bark and magnifi-
cent stature and conformation, the
sycamore has marked individuality
and can not be mistaken for any other
species, either in the summer when
the foliage conceals its structural
form, or in the winter when the
leaves are absent.
A common objection to the syca-
more as lawn tree is its habit Of
dropping its leaves before autumn.
From this characteristic it is some
times called dirty tree" Recently
the Forest Service received a letter
from a suburban resident who has
sycamore on his lawn. "My syca-
more tree is very beautiful" said the
writer, until about the first Of
August, when its leaves begin to fall.
Is there any remedy that | can apply
to the tree to keep it from dropping
its leaves so soon?" 1t was necessary
to tell the correspondent that this was
a characteristic habit Of the tree.
This drawback, however, is practi-
cally the only failing that the syca-
more has, and it is offset by many de-
sirable qualities.
On the. other hand, there is little
of popularity, foresters say,
for the valley oak Of California, which
was decided to be the largest nut
bearing tree in the United States, the
contest unearthing a speciment in San
Benito County, which is 81 feet 8
inches in circumference and 125 feet
high. The valley oak is very beau
tiful tree, but it attains maturity only |
after three or four hundred years; its
wood is too tough, knotty, and other
wise imperfect to be god for lumber;
the tree grows too slowly to be plant
ed for shade or decorative purposes,
and, being found only in California, it
would have a small field of usefulness.
Horticulturists say that the valley oak
IS not popularity considered a nut
bearing tree; for its acorns are not
generally used for food, although, of
they are edible. Foresters say
hat the chestnut and the slack wal
nut are the largest nut-bearing trees
n this country, and the contest did, in
act, unearth a chestnut near Crest
mont, North Carolina, which is SO feet
inches in circumference and about
IS feet tall.
The contest brought forth photo
yraphs and authentic descriptions of
'37 trees in all parts of the United
States, making a distinctly valuable
contribution to existing knowledge Of
lative trees. 1t was found that, in
III probability, there is no living elm
arger than "The Great Elm" at
Nethersfeld, Connecticut, which is Is
eet in circumference and about 100
eet tall, and is estimated to be $50
ears old. Many remarkable speci-
mems Of species which ordinarily at
ain only small sizes were unearthed
" the contest, furnishing new records
4 maximum growth. A sassafras
vas brought to light at Horsham, Pa,
which is Is feet 10 inches in circum-
erence at four feet from the ground,
whereas, for example, not long before
his a Georgia town claimed that il
lad the largest sassafras tree in the
world, though this tree was only
over seven feet in circuin-
erence. A white birch was found in
Massachusetts, with girth Of 12 feet