PHOTOGRAPHS OF LARGE TREES 



Sycamore in Indiana is Biggest Recorded in Prize Contest of Association- 

 California Oak Tops List Among Nut-Bearers — Many New Records 

 Established and Much Valuable Data Put on File by Competitors 



BARRING conifers, the largest It is impossible even to mention all 



tree which the American Genetic the valuable records sent to the associa- 



Association has been able to tion. Many persons, entering into the 



discover in the United States is spirit of the contest, sent photographs 



a sycamore at Worthington, Ind., 42 with the remark that they knew the 



feet, 3 inches in circumference.^ This trees they submitted were not prize 



istheresult of offers of two prizes of $100 winners, but wanted them put on 



each for photographs of large trees, record for the benefit of science. Others 



made in the Journal of Heredity sent particularly large specimens of 



for October, 1914, by Mr. Charles species that ordinarily reach only a 



Deering, of Chicago, and Mr. W. A. small size, realizing that the prize 



Wadsworth, of Geneseo, N. Y. would go to some larger species, but 



The offer terminated on July 1, 1915, desiring to aid the association in getting 



and brought to the office of the associa- a record of the maximum attained by 



tion photographs of 337 trees in all all species. Thus excellent specimens 



parts of the United States. Most of of such trees as the persimmon, holly, 



them were accompanied by data as to sassafras, chinquapin, catalpa and white 



surroundings and history, which make birch were submitted, and make highly 



a distinct contribution to our knowledge valued additions to the available infor- 



of native trees. To go over all this mation on large trees in the United 



data and get out all that it has of States. 



interest to science will be the work of To return to the Indiana sycamore 



some months; in this issue of the (Fig. la and frontispiece) detailed 



Journal little more can be done than meastuements of circxunference follow: 



to announce the most evident results. i ft. above the ground 45 ft. 3 in. 



Photographs of the Indiana sycamore 5 ft. above the ground 42 ft 3 in. 



were sent in by Herman L. Havden, East branch 27 ft. 8 in. 



Worthington ; Herbert H. Sloane, Wor- ^^^t branch 23 ft. 2 m. 



thington; and Dr. William B. Clarke, The height is said to have been re- 



Indianapohs. After considering both duced considerably in recent years by 



the excellence of the photographs and wind and lightning; it is now estimated 



the fulness of the information submitted, at 150 feet, while the spread is about 



it was decided to award the prize of $100, 100 feet. As far as is known, these are 



offered for the photograph of the the largest authentic measurements of 



largest non-nut-bearing tree to Dr. a sycamore now living. 



Clarke. The American sycamore (Platanus 



The second prize was offered for the occidentalis) is more correctly called the 



largest nut -bearing tree, and went plane tree; it is not related to the 



without doubt to Charles Libhart, of Biblical sycamore (Ficus sycamorus, a 



Stockton, Cal., who submitted the species of fig) , mentioned particularly in 



photograph shown in Fig. 8 of a valley connection with Zaccheus who, as the 



oak 37 feet 6 inches in circtunference, old Primer put it, "did climb a tree, 



standing on the ranch of B. F. Gruver in his Lord to see." The American syca- 



Priest Valley, San Benito County, Cal. more is also known in some parts of the 



^ Unless otherwise specified, all circumferences given in this article refer to a measurement 

 made 5 feet from the ground. This was the stipulation in the contest, and is in accordance with 

 the general practice of foresters and botanists. 



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