BARRACKS A. R. C AMERICAN RED CROSS 



463 



the sterner side of war is : a French mill owner offered a 

 high price for his product by the Americans knows that 

 if he fails to deliver the larger part of it to the French 

 at a lower price he will be ordered to again shoulder his 

 musket and go to the trenches. 



The French Engineer Corps, "le Genie," have repre- 

 sentatives, generally officers or non-commissioned offi- 

 cers at all the large mills and other regional representa- 

 tives who cover the smaller ones. These men keep 

 account of the production and look after the expedition 

 of the material. Under certain conditions they have the 



power to requisition all wood supplies for exceptional 

 needs of the French army. It sometimes happens, as 

 it did when the writer was concerned, that a French 

 officer is called upon to commandeer some material in 

 transit for A. R. C. use. Such a situation calls for 

 delicate handling, but with both parties trying to find 

 an amicable way out the difficulty is somehow overcome, 

 as are many others in the complicated inter-relations of 

 the French and Americans. 



* Editor's Note: This article was written before the American 

 (forest) regiments landed overseas and commenced production, since 

 which time timber of all kinds has been produced in immense quantities. 



THE HUN OF PLANT LIFE 



NOW we have the Vegetable Boche ! This freak of 

 Nature finds its way to the heart of a bulb and 

 bores right through it as Miss M. L. Long, of Enfield, 

 New Hampshire, well knows. Miss Long sent a pic- 

 ture of the operation of the Vegetable Boche to the 



THE HUN OF PLANT LIFE 

 This is the photograph of the "Vegetable Boche." 



American Forestry Association of Washington with the 

 following letter: 



"I am sending you under separate cover what I call a 

 Vegetable Boche ; a real case of a stab in the dark. The 

 bulb is one of several I brought from Constantinople, 

 where my father was stationed for many years at 

 Robert College. The bulbs, not doing very well this 

 spring, I decided to take them up and dry them for 

 another season. The pushing qualities of New Hamp- 

 shire witch-grass may not be familiar, but this specimen, 

 which has pierced the heart of the unoffending bulb, 

 may give the uninitiated an idea of ruthless efficiency 

 in the vegetable kingdom." 



Another thing the pest likes is potato, so keep your 

 eye out, war gardeners, for the potato is a very important 

 garden article at this moment. 



TREES FOR THE DEAD 



1" N the Passaic "Daily News" we read that the city of 

 Cleveland has hit upon an admirable type of 

 memorial for war heroes. The fallen soldiers are to 

 have living monuments. Their memory will literally 

 be kept green. 



A boulevard is to be consecrated to them, bearing 

 some such title as "Liberty Row." It will be lined with 

 "Victory Oaks." There will be an oak tree planted 

 there for every Clevelander who makes the supreme 

 sacrifice. It will bear a bronze tablet inscribed with his 

 name and military record. The planting of the trees 

 will be made a civic ceremony, in which the relatives 

 of each hero will participate. 



What more fitting form of commemoration could 

 there be for the boys who give their lives to their 

 country ? They themselves would doubtless prefer such 

 monuments to marble columns. The trees will be, in 

 their very greenness and robust strength, reminders of 

 the youths who gave their vigor to win the big war. There 

 will be no gloom about them. They will stand as a con- 

 tinual inspiration for the living who look upon them and 

 are sheltered by them from sun and storm. 



Such a fine innovation, one would think, needs but to 

 be mentioned to win universal approval. Why should 

 it not be adopted in this city ? Why not be made a na- 

 tional institution? 



