White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-08-31
LIGHTNING SHOCKS
BIG TREE TO DEATH
Makes Small Cash, but Kills
Oak Instantly.

lightning hit large white oak in the
New York botanical garden, Bronx
park, ripped only small cash on one
side of the trunk and yet was strong
enough to bring almost instantaneous
death to every twig and leaf, is told
by DR.. Arthur Hollick, paleobotanist
at the garden, in its current Journal.
"Those who recall the natural fea-
lures of the woodland at the north
eastern border of the economic gar
dens of the New York botanical gar
den," Doctor Hollick states, land the
appearance that these features pre-
sented year ago, may now notice
that something once familiar is miss
ing from the scene.
"a large white oak, formerly a con-
spicuous element in the forest growth,
has disappeared, and all that remains
as evidence of its former presence is
a sawed-off stump in partly cleared
area in the woodland border. The re-
cent removal of this tree represented
the climax of an interesting and
tragic event in its life history.
Tree In Prime of Life.
ut is we'll known that lightning
often acts in what appears to be a
freakish manner, and also that 1t oc.
casionally produces effects that are
more or less difficult to explain. The
tree under consideration was appar-
emily vigorous and in the prime of
life last summer, as far as might
have been inferred from it's external
features, when 1t was struck during
thunder storm.
ut did not appear to be badly In
jured. No limbs were torn off. The
only obvious effect of the stroke was
longitudinal cash in the bark and
sap wood, of relatively insignificant
extent, on one side of the trunk.
There are several trees within the
garden area that suffered in past
years, much greater external injury
from lightning and they are alive to
day, although the scars are glazing.
ly conspicuous.
"This particular tree, however, ap.
peared to have been shocked to death
instantaneously The foliage through
out began to wither at once. Every
leaf became wrinkled and within q
month the tree had begun to assume
the brown and yellow appearance of
autumn, while the surrounding vege-
tation was yet fresh and green. The
contrast in celebration was conspicu.
GUS and attracted considerable atten.
ton.
'The tree was also a conspicuous
object during the following winter. by
reason of the withered foliage, almost
intact, still clinging to the twigs and
branchlets while all the other decidu
GUS trees in the vicinity were CON-
pletely denuded.
"The explanation of this latter phe-
nomenon is, apparently, that the tree
having been suddenly killed during
its season Of growth and highest vi.
tally, it's leaves were, in consequence,
securely attached to their support amt
were not subject to the physiological
changes that normally result in the
weakening of attachment and the ul.
innate severance of the leaves from
the branches in the autumn.
"In this connection it is interesting
to note, incidentally, that large
number of twigs and branchlets that
were broken off during winter storms
had leaves securely attached to them.
The wood had yielded to the stress,
but the leaves had held fast.
Put Under Observation.
1.-THE tree was kept under observa
ton during the last spring in order
to determine definitely If 1t showed
any evidence of vitality; but not
bud showed any inclination of ex.
banding when all other trees had de.
veloped thei. seasonal LEAKAGE. 1t
was dead and it's removal was deemed
advisable.
"The trunk of the tree at a dis
lance of 2.5 feet from the ground
measured 1914 feet in circumference;
and several countings of the rings on
the surface of the stump gave an av
erage result of 1877 that we're more or
less distinctly discernible.
IAN area in the center of about
four Or five inches in radius was
more or less decayed, so that the
rings were not well defined. This
area probably represented about the
first fifteen years of growth. The
tree, therefore, may be inferred t.
have been approximately 100 to 200
years old at the time when 1t met