The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-09-28
ELM CONSIDERED
BEST SHADE TREE

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2s.-That the
largest shade tree in the United States
rs brought to light by the prize con
test held by the American Genetic as
soeiation, should turn out to be the
eastern sycamore is not surprising, say
government foresters. The sycamore
las 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 syca.
more at Washington, Indiana. which
IS ~ feet 3 inches in circumference and
l5G feet tall, draws attention to the
fact that foresters are nowadays re-
commanding the species especially for
city planting. They say that long ex-
perience with sycamores planted in
city streets has shown that the species
rs peculiarly able to withstand the
smoke, dust and gases which are usual.
ly an unavoidable complement of urban
life. In addition. the sycamore is as
resistant to attacks of insects and
fungi AS almost any species, and is a
quick grower; at ten years of age,
healthy sycamore usually is already
large enough for shade as well as for
decorative purposes. AS for the latter,
there is hardly any eastern species
which is generally held so picturesque
as the sycamore. With its strikinglv
notified bark and magnificent stature
and conformation, the sycamore has a
marked individuality and can not be
mistaken for any other species, either
in the summer when the foliage con
eeals its structural form, or in winter
when the leaves are absent
A common objection to the sycamore
az a lawn tree is its habit of dropping
IFS leaves before autumn. From this
characteristic ii is sometimes called
dirty tree - Recently the Forest
Service received a letter from a subur-
ban resident who has a sycamore on
his lawn. "My sycamore tree is verv
beautiful. said the writer, "until
about the first of August, when its
leaves begin to fall. Is there any rem
edy that / can apply to the tree to
keep ii from dropping its leaves so
soon?' 1t was necessary to tell the
correspondent that this was a eharac-
teristie habit of the tree. This draw
back, however. is practically the only
failing that the sycamore has, and il
is offset by manv desirable qualities.
On the other hand, there is little
prospect of popularity. foresters say.
for the valley oak of California, which
was decided to BE the largest nut bear
ing tree in the United States, the con
test unearthing specimen in San Be
nito county. which is 81 feet inches
in circumference and 1875 feet high. |
The valley oak is a very beautiful tree
hut it attains maturity only after three
or four hundred years; its wood is too
tough, knottv. and otherwise imperfect
To be good for lumber; the tree grows
too SLOWLY to he planted for shade or
decorative purposes, and being found
only in California. it would have a
small field of usefulness Horticultur-
lists say that the valley oak is not poo |
ularlv considered a nut-bearing tree
for its acorns are not generally used |
for food. although, of course, they are
edible. FOresters saw that the chestnut
ard the black walnut are the largest
bearing trees in this country. and
the contest did. in fact. unearth a
chestnut tree near Crestment, North
Carolina. which is 33 feet inches in
circumference and about 75 feet tall.
nc COHtfrt tfIbuHut iOffu DnOIO-
graphs and authentic descriptions of
3J trees in all parts of the United
States. making a distinctly valuable
contribution to existing knowledge OF
native trees. II was found that. in all
probability, there is no living elm
larger than "The Great Elm'' at Weth-
ersfeld, Connecticut, which is 80 feet
in circumference and about 100 feet
tall, and is estimated TO be $50 years
old. MANY remarkable specimens of
species which ordinarily attain only
small sizes were unearthed by the con
test, furnishing new records of maxi
mum growth. A sassafras was brought
IT, light at Horsham, Pennsylvania,
which is Is feet 10 inches in cireum-
ference at four feet from the ground,
whereas. for example, not long before
this Georgia town claimed that il had
the largest sassafras tree in the world
though this tree was only something
over feet ia circumference. A white
birch was found in Massachusetts, with
a girth of l2 feet 2 inches; pecan was
found in Louisiana with circumfer-
enee of l9 feet 6 inches. and a eatalpa
in Arkansas with firth of is feet.
The tallest tree found is yellow pop
lar in North Caroline, which is 1873 feet
high and has circumference of 81 feet
6 inches.
The value of the contest lies in its
contribution of new information as to
the maximum growth attained hv de
ciduous species and the localities in
which the different species seem to
grow best. The relative sizes of the
coniferous species are fairly well es-
tablished, the Bigtree of California.
fer example. being the largest in the
world: but information on the size at
tanned bv deeiduous trees in this eoun-
try has been very inenmnlete