CHAPTER FIVE
SOME AMAZING THINGS IN NATURE
"Girls, as long as we are off for a hike, why not make something worthwhile of the time?" asked the Guide looking at her companions.
"Anything you say goes with us, Miss Miller!" said Zan emphatically.
"Well, then suppose we try to identify our native trees--as many as wefind in this section of the country--and begin to gather wild flowersand plants, for Jane to make blue prints from. At the same time we canstudy their botanical features and arrange them in groups for use intrays, or pictures."
"Why, that is a novel idea! How did you think of it, Miss Miller?"cried Elena, her artistic nature roused.
"I love wild flowers, and I always did think they would make beautifuldecorations if properly treated so they would retain their lines anddetails," replied the Guide.
"It's too bad you didn't mention it sooner, so I could have brought abasket or something to keep them in," said Jane.
"Why carry a basket when one can be had for the picking!" laughed MissMiller.
Again the girls were mystified, and waited for an explanation. Itwas slow in coming for the Guide seemed very intent upon seeking forsomething she could not find.
After ten minutes' walk she exclaimed, "Ha! I thought so! The kind ofgrass I wanted always grows near the hill-tops."
She motioned the girls to sit down while she gathered a few handsfulof long wiry grass and showed them how to weave a fine grass basket.It was a small model but very compact and strong. They watched eagerlywhile deft fingers flew and the grass strands went in and out, untilthe roll on top was finished. The handle was another matter, and MissMiller said she would make that another time.
"But this is so dainty it will never hold plants or roots!" said Elena.
"Not this sample but we can make others on the same lines and use othermaterials. Perhaps Zan can show us where we can find some rushes, orwand-grass. Then too, willow makes good strong baskets."
"Why, sure! Right down by the Bid Ridge we can gather all the rushes wewant, and a whole group of young willows grow over by Pine Nob--that'sa giant hill back of Hamilton's Farm," exclaimed Zan eagerly.
"Some rainy day, then, we will sit by the fire and make some rushmats," added the Guide.
"Oh, stop! please don't mention any more, or my head will whirloff!" laughed Jane, holding down the top of her head, but with eyessparkling with anticipation of all the _coups_ waiting to be won.
Miss Miller smiled as she started on up the hill-side. "Don't wait forme to point out a tree--take the first one you see. The same with theflowers and shrubs."
"But here's some grass that ought to make a strong basket!" calledNita, who was a few paces ahead.
"Yes, let us gather some and construct a carrier in case we find someplants we want to dig up, root and flower," advised the Guide.
They were all eagerly engaged in their first attempt at weaving withgrass and found it not nearly as easy as it seemed when the Guide wasdoing it. Sometimes the grass slipped, sometimes it broke; then, itwould refuse to slide up or down, and again it would cut into tenderflesh if it was pulled too hard.
After a time, however, a sort of a misshapen bowl-like article wasfinished by Hilda who declared it looked just like an Eskimo'streasure. The other girls decided to carry their material andhalf-finished shapes with them and wait for another recess in the hikebefore weaving more.
"I see a maple!" exclaimed Elena, as they climbed.
"Pshaw! every one knows a maple tree so there can't be anything newworth hearing about a maple," said Nita.
"How do you know but that we may discover some new feature about amaple that you never dreamed of before?" asked Miss Miller.
"Hitherto unpublished--exclusive rights claimed by Wickeecheokee Band!"added Zan.
"Not so many moons since, I met a group of girls who were greatlysurprised to find that sugar came from maples!" added Miss Miller,smiling at Nita.
"Oh, that was different! What I mean now, is, that every one knows amaple when they see one, and it's nothing new."
Miss Miller examined the maple thoughtfully for a moment, then said,"How many of you know what kind of a maple this is?"
"We have one like it on the front lawn and Dad always calls it "the redmaple,"" replied Zan.
"Yes, it is a red maple. _Acer_ is the Latin name, while maple is thecommon name. Now look at the height of this tree and tell me how tallit will grow before it reaches its full growth?"
"This one is not twenty feet, is it?" asked Elena.
"No, about twenty--I should say."
"The red maple on our lawn is at least thirty feet high, Miss Miller,and Dad says it is an old tree," said Zan.
"About thirty feet is the average height. Now, tell me, do you thinkthis tree will thrive best on this hill-side or down in the gladebeyond the bridge--where the ground is low and moist?" continued theGuide.
"I don't know--do you?" said Jane, looking at the other girls.
"Give up! There's another item we failed to know," replied Zan.
"The red maple thrives best in low woodsie land. It needs rich soiland plenty of moisture. Now examine the bark of this one carefully. Itis smooth and spotted, but this is an old tree in spite of its height,for the spots grow dark on old trees and are always lighter on youngerones--in fact, quite young trees have white spots. Its timber isvaluable for house trim and some kinds of cabinet work. The red mapleis highly ornamental and of late years has been selected for landscapegardening and shade trees."
Miss Miller looked at the tree a moment, then said, "We will reviewthis lesson on the house-lawn where Zan says a large maple grows. Now,pass on to the next tree."
"I see a great big oak!" cried Elena.
"How many kinds of oak do you suppose there are in the world?" askedMiss Miller.
No one could tell her so she replied, "I do not know myself, as Isuppose there are many species never heard of in the great forestsof South America, Africa and Asia. However, we know there are theWhite Oak, found mostly in the United States, Adriatic Oak, EuropeanOak, Live Oak of the Southern States, the Holm Red Oak, commonestin Northern States--this is a Red Oak tree--, Black Oak, one of theloftiest of forest trees, and a Live Oak of Asia. The timber of eachone of the Oak species is valuable, as its grain is straight, the woodhard, and of strong quality and durability. I remember the oak ceilingtimber of my old home.[A] The house was built long before Washingtoncrossed the Delaware and my father inherited it along with a fewacres of ground. When I was a little girl of about six, mother wantedthe old dining-room modernized. The carpenters contracting to do thework showed us some solid timbers that were hewn out by hand with theaxe. On the side where mother wished two windows to be turned into abow-window for her winter flowers, the men had to saw through a beam ashard as iron. Finally, the boss carpenter said, "We will have to takethis beam out whole to save time and strength." They did so, and whatdo you suppose we found cut in one side of that oak beam?"
The girls had been listening with all attention, but of course no onecould imagine what was found.
"The dates of the time when Washington's army were in winter quarterson Fort Nonsense, Morristown, N. J. Several of his men were stationedat the old house and had cut their initials in the beam which must havebeen exposed at the time. Father found out that the window-casing andceiling of plaster were added later to beautify the house accordingto up-to-date ideas at the time. At the time the army camped on themountainside, the house was of rough timber, without any attempt atfinish or adornment."
"How interesting!" said some of the girls.
"What became of the log?" asked practical Zan.
"The George Washington Headquarters requested the loan of the beam toexhibit in their museum."
"Then that oak beam lasted over a hundred and forty years and was goodas new when found!" declared Zan wonderingly.
"Yes, it would have lasted a hundred and fifty more, if it had beenleft encased safely as it was when found," replied M
iss Miller.
"Was it a Red Oak?" asked Nita.
"How could Miss Miller tell, you ninny! She was only six years old!"said Jane.
"I don't think any one thought to investigate at the time. The peoplewere not so keen for Nature lore then as now," laughed Miss Miller.
Then continuing, "This oak has leaves, you will see, with deepveinings; they are scalloped on the edges, and curved out toward themiddle-sides and in again toward the end. This tree, I should say, isabout eighty feet high, although they grow to a hundred. Their diameteris from one to three feet through. The leaves of this oak were greenwhen they first grew but they turn red as the season advances and byfall they are a beautiful crimson."
As they passed on, Jane cried, "Here's a chestnut tree, as every oneknows!"
"Do you know anything of its individuality?" asked Miss Miller.
"I know that it blossoms into long feathery catkins that smell verysweet, something like the blossoms on our grapevines," said Zan.
"And I guess every one knows that the fruit is found in a burr thatpricks your fingers like fury if you're not careful," added Elena.
"I know that the wood is good for fence-posts 'cause Dad ordered Billto be sure and get chestnut posts for the fence that closes in theout-houses," Zan remembered.
"Anybody else wish to contribute?" asked Miss Miller.
"Every one wants to but can't afford it this time," laughed Janeeagerly.
"Well then, the chestnut is a deciduous tree that grows to aconsiderable height and size. Its timber is light weight, cross-grainedand very durable; that is why it has been preferred in the past forposts. Its leaves are long and shiny and has sharp pointed edges. Thenuts are sweet and of a starchy nature, also highly nutritious. Thevariety we have had in such numbers in the Middle Atlantic States havebeen destroyed by a strange fungoid disease that attacked them and wasspread rapidly by wind and the birds until the finest trees are gone!It is almost impossible to detect the diseased tree until it is fatedand soon an entire grove is doomed beyond help or cure.
"Foresters and gardeners have sought to protect and save other trees bycutting down a tree the moment the symptoms appeared, but it has beenfound useless. Even the timber of a diseased tree is worthless as it issoon entirely eaten by worms that are bred in the tree during the firststages of the disease."
"Maybe that is why we don't see so many chestnuts for sale?" ponderedHilda, who was very fond of the nut.
"Perhaps, and perhaps it is because a sick tree does not bear well.Personally, I believe chestnut trees like quiet and retirement anddroop to die when civilisation creeps too close to their environment.If that is so, the chestnut trees have seen their best days, and thefuture will continue without any acquaintance with the extinct tree,"said Miss Miller.
"Miss Miller talks of trees just as if they knew what was going onabout them!" laughed Nita.
"That's what always makes her talks so vital and interesting to us!"commended Zan.
"They are all alive, and _do_ know all that concerns them, but mortalsnever stop to think of this! I look at it in this light. We read inGenesis that God made _everything_ and He saw that it was very good.Then, the narrative goes on to say that the Creator who made everythingthat was made had all Life, all Intelligence, all Love within Himself.Of this great power and love He created man in His own image andlikeness. Man was given dominion over all _living_ creatures andthings. Now take that into your thought, girls! All living things! Ifirmly believe that the good God who gave us charge of all _living_things wanted us to watch over and love and use intelligence in theway we governed His creation. This tree is a _living thing_--it has asmuch of the divine authority to live as we have. It has as much divineintelligence as anything created for a purpose. So, this tree isrecognised by me, who am also created by the same Father for a purpose,as a living thing growing to beautify the universe and to provide manwith delicious food."
"Oh, Miss Miller if you were only a man what a fine preacher you wouldmake!" exclaimed Zan enthusiastically.
"I can preach as well in my sphere as a woman!" laughed Miss Miller.
"Oh! are you a suffragist!" gasped Nita.
"Would it change your opinion of my qualities and character, if Iadmitted I was? I did not _say_ I was, I only ask you if it would makea difference to you with what I _really_ am?"
"Well, I don't know anything about the matter except what my mothersaid to her friends at a card party one day. She didn't understand howwomen could lecture and parade and ask for the vote when they couldhave a good time at home playing bridge and going out shopping, ortaking a week-end trip to some friend's country house."
Miss Miller never said a word in reply neither did she tell Nitawhether she was a suffragist, or just a pleasure-seeking woman.
"Dear me, what was it we were talking about when we got switched offthe track!" said Elena.
"Chestnuts!" laughed Zan, the others joining her.
"I see a hickory tree--I'll choose that if you're through with othersubjects," said Nita.
"All right, and we will give you first choice to tell us all aboutthe tree," replied Miss Miller, as they forced a way through theundergrowth until the tree was reached.
"I don't know a thing about it except that I like the nuts."
"How did you know it was a hickory tree if you were not familiar withthe bark or leaves," asked Miss Miller.
"I heard Zan say so and point it out to Jane as being a splendid treefor nuts in the fall," replied Nita.
"I can describe the nuts and the shell, and that's about all. I alwaysknow a hickory when I see one, by its leaves and the way it grows, butI can't tell why it is so," said Zan.
No one could tell so Miss Miller explained. "The hickory is found inplenty in North America. It has pinnate leaves, grows from seventyto ninety feet high and is slender in trunk. The timber is heavy,tenacious, and strong, but it decays rapidly when exposed to heat ormoisture. The bark is rough and easily stripped. The blossoms are shortcatkins, sweetly perfumed, and the nuts are highly nutritious, forminginside of a cover of shell-bark that peels off in quarter-plates."
"I think I can describe one after that, and pick out a hickory fromother trees," remarked Hilda.
"So c'n I--who couldn't?" retorted Jane.
"How many trees does that make?" asked Miss Miller.
"Maple, oak, chestnut and hickory," Zan counted off on her fingers.
"Four! We've got to find six more," cried Elena, pushing on to seek anew variety of tree.
"Here's one that you'll be glad to hear about," called Zan. They turnedback and saw a low bush-like tree that would have been passed bywithout a look, if it hadn't been for the alert Zan.
"That's a bush!" sneered Nita.
"It's called a tree in botany!" retorted Zan triumphantly.
"Yes, a hazel-nut is a tree although it looks like a bush to me,"explained Miss Miller.
"Is that a hazel-nut tree?" wondered Jane amazed.
"It doesn't look like much!" said Nita deprecatingly.
"Looks don't count for everything--wait till you want some hazel-nuts.This is a record-breaker for nuts!" snapped Zan, defending her pethazel-nut.
"I consider a hazel-nut a very interesting specimen to study. Itsblossoms are very small and very sweet; in fact, a cluster of hazelflowers makes a lovely nose-gay. The male tree blooms in catkins andis more conspicuous. Its growth is like unto a large shrub or lowtree with wood that is tough but flexible. The leaf is shaped like aroseleaf and notched on the edges. The nuts form in a bell-like cup andthe meat is very sweet and good.
"The Witch-hazel, from which a fluid called 'Pond's Extract' comes, ispeculiar in that it blooms in the Fall--the yellow stars shining inthe woods. The name originally was spelled 'wyche' meaning a box. Thewood was always used for making chests that fitted in old-time halls.These chests or wyches, had no connection whatever with magic. To-day,however, the common belief is that the name is derived from the magicpower of the 'Dowser' or Water-Finder. A hazel wand
is accorded thequality of discovering water under the ground when held in the hands ofcertain people. If the holder passed over a spot where water could befound the wand would bend until its tip touched the earth where watercould be found if dug for."
"Do you believe that, Miss Miller?" asked a sceptical one.
"I used to accept the statement as a fact until quite recently whenI read of a renowned engineer who claims that the wand is quiteunnecessary as water can be found by any one strong-minded enough toconcentrate upon the discovery about to be made. This Englishman,who is an authority in such matters, says that many well-knownengineers have tried and found that the wand has not the inherentpower to discriminate or fathom for water. I have known folks whomight experiment and carry a wand forever without its ever moving ahair's breadth in their hands, as they themselves were too materialand 'thick' to discern the things under the earth or above the earth,either!"
"Let's sit down here and listen to more of this queer talk," suggestedZan eagerly.
"No, we are out for a tramp to find trees and I am not going to talkof things you are not old enough to understand," said Miss Millerpositively.
"Miss Miller, here's a maple, but it's not red!" said Jane, pointing tothe rounded top of a thick tree.
"That's a sap maple like the ones in the sugar grove. If it were springwe could tap the trunk and get some of the sweet saccharine thatrises up in the trunk. The sugar maple grows as high as seventy feetand sometimes measures three feet in diameter. It has hard wood, ofsatiny lustre. It generally has a well-formed crown and thick foliage.A single maple will yield from five to ten pounds of maple sugar inseason."
"Zan, for goodness' sake, let us have some sugar when you can get it!"exclaimed Elena.
"All right, remind me and we will ask Bill if there is any left fromthis spring's boiling," replied Zan.
"There's a Christmas tree, Miss Miller."
"Oh, help! A spider's got on me! It crawled from that bush!" criedNita, vainly squirming and shaking herself to throw off the insect.
The other girls ran away from her for they too, were afraid of a spider.
"Pooh! It won't hurt you! Can't any of you tell the difference betweena poisonous and a harmless bug?" Zan cried.
"That gives me an idea," said Miss Miller, as Zan brushed off thegaudily striped spider. "The first afternoon we have to spare fromroutine plans, we will take up the interesting study of insect life,and learn not to call everything a bug!"
"If we do half the things we hope to accomplish, we'll be the prizeTribe of the Indians!" commented Zan.
"We must always strive for the unattainable. Although we are not awareat the time that our goal is far beyond our capacity to attain, stillit is the incentive that makes for progress. Having once obtainedwhat we desired, we are disappointed in the realisation and so keepon striving. Discouragement and laziness, are the two worst enemiesthat progress ever meet. I think that of the two discouragement iseven harder to combat with than laziness. So, with our plans for thesummer: we outline far more than we can actually accomplish but it isan incentive and we push onward and upward."
"Who chose the last tree?" called Elena, during the silence thatfollowed upon the little lecture.
"Nita found a Christmas tree," replied Jane.
"That is a pine tree--of the family of _abies_. Spruce, fir, pine,and others all come under the family name. You will always see a pinetree grow straight up, unless some obstacle turns aside its naturaltendency. The pine wood is composed of cells that are filled with pineysap. It is a long-lived tree, there being on record pine trees that are2,000 years old--a report says some pines in the Holy Land have beenfound that register an age of 3,000 years. The timber of pine trees isvery useful for hardwood building purposes and the sap is used forthe manufacture of turpentines, oils and resins. The limbs grow on analmost horizontal line from the tree and the offshoots of the limbsfollow the same strange line. The greens form in a flat shape almostlike a fan, and when young and tender make the best of camp beds. Whena tree is utterly decayed the wood forms pitch and tar."
"And in December, the tree is in great demand by all children fordecorative purposes!" added Zan, as Miss Miller finished her discourse.
"Yes, I find I always forget the most important item, or at least Zanthinks so," laughed the Guide.
"My! I never knew so much about wood in my life!" exclaimed Elena.
"Trees, my dear! don't call these magnificent tall giants by so commona name as wood!" corrected Zan.
"I guess there aren't any other varieties in these woods," venturedNita, looking about for a new species.
"Oh, yes, there are. I have seen a dozen more in a short walk," repliedMiss Miller.
"Here's a kind we haven't had. I don't know what it is, though," saidJane.
"That is a birch tree. Haven't you ever chewed birch bark?" said Zan,disdainfully, at Jane's ignorance of a birch.
"I've tasted birch beer but I don't like it!" said she.
"Birch flavour is used in soda water, candy, and soft drinks of allkinds. It is also in great demand for flavouring obnoxious medicines asit disguises the disagreeable taste," said Miss Miller, adding, "Whocan describe the birch tree?"
"I don't believe any of us can; I was the only one that knew what sortof a tree it was, and that is all I can tell," admitted Zan reluctantly.
"The Latin for birch is "betula." Its flowers grow in catkins and budin early spring. The tree is often as high as seventy feet. The woodis highly prized by cabinet makers. The bark is so durable that it hasbeen found intact after the tree has decayed. Often a woodsman willcome across a birch that seems to be newly fallen. He will strike inwith his axe to ascertain the value of the timber and the bark willsplit showing a hollow inside, or at least a mass of decayed wood.The bark is very useful for the building of canoes, dishes, woodenutilities, and even hats.
"The mahogany birch grows in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, tothe height of seventy to eighty feet and is two to three feet thick. Inspring the rich green leaves of this tree are covered with a thick downalmost like hoar frost. It is beautiful at this season. Later, thisdown disappears and the leaves remain a bright green. They are ovalshaped, and pointed at ends. The timber of the mahogany birch is a hardclose-grain and of a reddish brown colour."
"Mother just got a new chamber suite of furniture that she bought formahogany and told all of her friends at the bridge club about hermagnificent mahogany furniture for her guest-chamber. When the clubmet at our house she took the ladies in to show off the furniture.Mrs. Dewitt said, "Why, my poor dear Mrs. Brampton, you were cheatedif you bought this for mahogany!" My mother got awful mad at first,then another lady told her the wood was stained mahogany and wasknown as mahogany birch. Mother sent it right back the next day andsaid she would never trade at that place again. But the man tried toexplain that the furniture was called mahogany, and at the price sheshould have known that it was birch. Now _I_ will know how to tell thedifference between birch and real mahogany, won't I?" said Nita eagerly.
"Yes, but I trust you will be able to use your knowledge for a betterpurpose than just discriminating in furniture. The simpler yourfurniture the less mental work you will need to think of it. That givesyour thoughts so much more time for happier work and ideas," repliedMiss Miller.
"I see a tree over in that little dell that looks as if it had nutsgrowing on it," said Hilda.
"I guess it has, for it is a beech tree," replied the Guide. "Can youdescribe any of its points?"
"We have gathered beech-nuts every year, Miss Miller, and Mrs. Sherwoodand mother have pickled them. Umph! but they taste good in winter!"said Zan.
"I have never tasted them but I have heard of the delicious flavourwhen eaten with cold meats," replied Miss Miller.
"I can tell a beech from another tree by its leaves, but I don't knowany of its growing points," added Zan.
"Well, the beech is not a very well-known tree--I mean it is not ascommonly seen on the lawns, street-parquets, or
parks, as the oak,maple, or elm. A beech tree often grows to be a hundred feet high andis from three to eight feet thick. Some have had a diameter of elevenfeet. The bark is smooth, ash-coloured. The timber is fine grained andthe roots of the tree do not go deep down, but spread out underneaththe surface of the ground. The foliage of the beeches I have seen arepurple, silver, and red. The name to designate the kind of beech treeis given by the colour of the leaves."
"There, that's ten trees!" called Nita.
"No, that only makes nine?" contradicted Jane.
The girls counted on their fingers and found there had been nine treesdescribed so that they could always tell at a glance what the tree was.
"I am going to choose the tenth tree myself," said Miss Miller.
"Yes, yes, do!" cried the girls, in chorus.
"Well, I am going to select an elm. You won't see it here," laughed theteacher, as every head turned looking for the elm tree. "I am going totell you about it and then see which of you can be first in identifyingit by my description."
"That will be heaps of fun--I think that will be better than the way wehave done!" exclaimed Elena.
The others felt much the same way, but said nothing as Miss Millerbegan.
"Our American elm, or white elm, is a majestic tree with long pendulousbranches. The trunk grows from three to five feet through, and thetree's height is from fifty to seventy feet. The main trunk growsstraight naked, until it towers above its neighbours. It then dividesinto two primary branches which ascend gradually and subdivide intospreading boughs. These again subdivide into smaller twigs, and thetwigs into leaves.
"As the limbs grow out into smaller branches they bend in the mostgraceful curves, and the beautiful foliage gives a dense shade. Theleaves are short-stalked, oval-shape, with irregular veins. The Elmflowers in April before its leaves begin to shoot. The timber is tough,strong and not easy to manipulate in cabinet work, therefore is not insuch demand for this purpose."
"I believe I can pick an elm after that lesson," said Elenathoughtfully.
"Well, girls, we must get back to camp, but we will see who is thefirst to find an elm."