COLUMBIA LIBRARIES OFFSITE AVERY FINE ARTS RESTRICTED AR01 396978 Freak Trees of THE State of New York The New York State College of Forestry Syracuse University FRANKLIN MOON Dean 1926 56 Issued by the EXTENSION DEPARTMENT New York State College of Forestry Syracuse, New York Material Prepared l»y Prof. GURTH WHIPPLE lEx SItbrtH SEYMOUR DURST UUHi>T FOREWORD ify^HERE is a pleasure in the pathless woods," in fact, A everywhere in the woods, whether pathed or path- less, is the dwelling of pleasure. In the woods abides romance, mystery, music, laughter, beauty, inspiration, awe, rapture. None can escape the broadening vision, the excite- ment of the imagination, the poetic inspiration imparted by contact with the teeming harmony of woods life. Even the occasional discords are only minor notes that become part of one universal rythm. TREES SURPASSINGLY INTERESTING Added to their pleasure-giving there are their health administrations. None, who go into the woods, fail to feel the forest-refreshment to body and mind. Trees have many values and many attractions. They present such a wide diversity that they may be said to surpass in interest all other products of the soil. Their traditions, their ancient lineage, their physical properties are thought-absorbing ; their beneficence and human-like habits touch a responsive chord in man. Much about them is as deep a mystery as the farthermost star. FREAK TREES ATTRACTIVE Tree shapes are generally beautiful even in distortion. Freak trees attract the attention of all travellers. Probably they cause more comment and speculation than almost any other phase of the forest. They excite wonder; they chal- lenge our power of scrutiny and observation ; they cause the beholder to stop, to examine and to ponder. They are sometimes inexplicable. They defy natural laws, as we know them, that govern tree life, in a way that baffles our understanding. Freak trees often save the camper, the hunter and the explorer from disaster. Trees that do not look like the vast majority of their fellows compel attention and impress the memory, identifying locations, streams and trails, and thus often lead the lost like a guiding hand safely from the wilder- ness. The true woodsman consciously and unconsciously is ever looking for freak trees when he is traveling in a new country. Freak trees are landmarks, good guides, good friends. NATURE AND ACCIDENT CAUSE FREAKS Why do trees take on abnormal shapes? Is it something in the character of the tree or is it due to accident? The results of this contest indicate that tree-freaks are due to both causes the same as in the animal kingdom. It would seem that a close parallel to the fortunes and misfortunes of humanity may be traced in trees, which of things inanimate are the constant and most useful companions of men. Trees, like ourselves are products of their surround- ings. They are favored or injured in their development by the changes that time brings in its march of years. The Freak Tree Contest was for New York State trees only. The contest covered the period of spring, summer and fall in 1925. Many lovers of the woods took part in the contest and sent photographs far too numerous to publish in one leaflet. We have, however, reproduced within these pages some of the most interesting pictures. The contest was intended to encourage observation of the forest, to arouse interest in trees and thereby aid in creating public concern for the protection and increase of the forest. MANY SPECIES REPRESENTED Hickory, beech, maple, elm, locust, poplar, birch, ash, cucumber, basswood, hemlock, pine, cedar, spruce, sumach, and apple were represented in the contest. While practically all of our common forest trees evidently take on unusual shapes under favorable conditions the tree apparently most given to abnormal growth is the elm. There were four times as many photographs of freak elm trees submitted as any other species. Maple comes next with beech and birch following closely. No section of the State seems to be particularly favored with freak trees. It would appear that hardwoods or broad leaf tree families take on malformations and curious twists and turns more generally than the softwoods or conifers. SELECTING WINNERS, BIG PROBLEM Choosing the winners was rather a difficult problem. A marked divergence of opinion developed on the part of the seven judges who made the selections. The committee was composed of a forest botanist and pathologist, a wood technologist, a landscape architect, an expert in woodcraft and nature study, a professional forester, a collector of photographs of freak trees and a newspaper man. The pictures were judged from the viewpoint of their shape and form that seemed to be contrary to the nature of the species the freak trees represented. Prizes were awarded as follows : $5.00 for the first prize, $4.00 for the second, $3.00 for the third, $2.00 for the Fourth, and four prizes of $1.00 each. PRIZE WINNERS PRIZE WINNERS PRIZE WINNERS Fifth Prize. H. L. Tayntor, McGraw, N. Y. Double beech, near Homer, N. Y. Graft 18 feet in length and 8 inches in diameter. PRIZE WINNERS •J, ' i ... i Sixth Prize. YV. S. Broad, Morrisville, N. Y. Twin beeches, Morrisville Swamp. Seventh Prize. Zack Carman, Prattsville, N. V. Elm lyre tree, near Prattsville, N. Y. 6 PRIZE WINNERS Eighth Prize- Augustus C. Merle, R. F. D. 2, Attica, N. V. Elm tree, near Attica. Louise D. Gaylord. 414 Cortland Ave., Syracuse, X. Y. Elm tree, y 2 mile south of Wolcott, X. Y. Honorable Mention. Mrs. Chas. L. Williams, 166 Ridge St., Glens Falls, N. Y. Small cedars said to be exactly portrayed. The illustration is from a photograph of a painting and was therefore not eligible for a nri^e. Location — At the foot of Buck Mountain on east shore of Lake George. 7 HONORABLE MENTION Bert L. Chambers, Copenhagen, N. Y. Beech and Maple grown together, Harris- Imrg, Lewis Co., N. Y. Mahlot) Pomeroy, 70 Oxford St., Rochester, \. Y. Soft Maple tree near ths village of Frank- lin, X. V. HONORABLE MENTION Miss Faustina Dunn, Oszvego Normal School, Oszvego, N. Y. Elm, "The Lyre Tree." Eleanor L. Weise, 1346 Jefferson St., N. W. Washington, D. C. Lombardy Poplars, grown over and enclosed an old board fence. Standing along the shore of Lake Champlain a little south of Pittsburgh, N. Y. L. A. Lamouree, R. R. No. 2, Box 215, Saugerties, N. Y. Basswood or Linden tree with young tree growing out of hollow trunk of mother tree. Blue Mountain, Saugerties, N. Y. Mrs. W. C. Schlax, 57 Henry Ave., Newburgh, N. Y. Pine tree, Centril Valley, N. Y. HONORABLE MENTION Ira Gray, R. F. D. No. 2, Corinth, N. Y. Arthur Bur dick, Glen fie Id, N. Y. Beech tree, Sacandaga river, town of Day, R e j Birch tree, Greig, Lewis Co., N. Y. Saratoga Co. 10 HONORABLE MENTION Syracuse, N. Y. Sugar Maple, near Constantia, N. Y. II HONORABLE MENTION Hemlock in crevice of a high cliff of trap- rock, near Tuxedo, N. Y. Miss Dorothy D. Van Gaasbeek, Hill St., Saugerties, N. Y. Arthur Hill, Adams Basin, N. Y. 2 Beech trees connected with branch farm woodlot west of Kochester, N. Y. 12 HONORABLE MENTION H. L. Tayntor, McGraw, N. Y. H. T. Pecor, 124 Ferry St., Troy, N. Y. Beech, Brown's Gorge, near McGraw. Cedar eight trees growing from one stump, 15 to 20 feet high, Putnam, N. Y. N. W. Van Nostrand, Jr., 802 Carroll St., Brooklyn, N. Y. Elm, between Berlin and Petersburg, N. Y. 13 HONORABLE MENTION TREES NOT ELIGIBLE George P. Van Buskirk, 27 West 129th English Spruce tree grafted upside down in England about 20 years ago, shipped to Smith Nursery at Amarack, N. Y., purchased 2 years later by Wm. R. Searles Mt. Kisco, N. Y. Newton C. Brainard, Hartford, Conn. Hornbeam trees naturally grafted. The Lonesome Pine, Cranberry Lake. Finds sustenance in a small tuft of moss and huckleberry bushes on top of a boulder. Fred Kenlive, Alden. N. Y. Beech trees near Alden. 16 J. B. Lyon Co., Printers. Albany, N. Our Heritage Now let us heal and restore where we trample and plunder, Cleansing and saving our shallowing rivers and rills, Lending new life to the field we have ravaged and beggared, Calling new forest to gladden the desolate hills. Then though we pass from the land that our fathers be- queathed us, Mountain and river and wood shall our message renew ; "This is the land that we loved ; oh, be faithful, our children ! Fair was it left to us ; fairer we leave it to you ! " Arthur Guiterman The New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University