616 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



others more re- 

 mote, and that as 

 soon as the foliage 

 possessing tree was 

 killed the source of 

 the vitality of the 

 stumps was gone 

 and they too died. 



This power to 

 pass on by a series 

 of successive and 

 indirept root grafts, 

 the vitality and 

 wood forming ma- 

 terial from the 

 growing tree is in 

 my belief the solu- 

 tion of the problem 

 of how very remote 

 slumps are able to 

 show healthy overgrowth; especially as there are cases 

 in which the major part of the stumps decay and the 

 roots only remain alive. Not all species possess this 

 power; and those which do not are unable to support 

 living stumps no matter how closely the roots of the 

 stumps may be intermingled with those of adjacent 

 standing trees. The practical value of the characteristic 

 still lies within the realm of speculation. Is it possible 

 that some day we shall make use of it for the produc- 



"SCRUB PINE" 



The only scrub pine Mr. Pembterton could have worked on in B. C. is the coast form of the 

 Lodgepole Pine, which is locally called "scrub pine." This section of the three trees shows 



how completely they are joined together by natural grafting, 

 possess the power to heal stumps by root graft. 



tion of living fence 

 posts or telegraph 

 poles ? 



While in some 

 species such unique 

 consequences fol- 

 low the joining 

 together of roots, 

 which takes place 

 so readily in con- 

 ifers, in other spe- 

 cies it is quite dif- 

 ferent and they do 

 not possess the 

 power of transmit- 

 ting vitality even 

 when roots are di- 

 rectly joined to- 

 gether. I have seen 

 an instance proving 

 this. At the first Camp in France of No. 34 Company, 

 Canadian Forestry Corps, intergrafting of the roots of 

 the pine trees was found to be of frequent occur- 

 rence. In one instance three trees were very closely 

 united. The bases of the stems and the roots of the 

 three trees were all welded together. One tree had 

 been cut down some time previously, and though its 

 stump was charged with resin there was absolutely no 

 sign of vitality. 



Most pines do not appear to 



THE OLD TREE IN THE CITY SQUARE 



BY GARNETT LAIDLAW ESKEW 



The ringing clank of the axes 



Sounds through the spring time day; 

 The saw eats into the tree trunk ; 



The old trees totter and sway. 

 There is a moment of rending 



Like the breaking of old home ties, 

 Then a thudding sound on the soft wet ground- 



Another old resident dies. 



Time was when the mad throngs passing 



Along through the city's glare 

 Saw the huge old tree, and remembered 



That God had his temple there 

 Remembered the hills and the moorlands 



All dressing in green again 

 And who shall deny that they all passed by 



Better and worthier men? 





Time was when the old tree blossomed 



And made through the summer's heat 

 For the old time folk on the benches, 



A leafy and cool retreat ; 

 When each year broadened and added 



To the mighty expanse of bough 

 But the gaunt arms there up above the square 



Are barren and colorless now. 



Today I paused in my passing 



And looked where the old tree lay 

 A mighty and fallen warrior 



Hewn through at the end of the fray. 

 And I counted them slowly over 



The rings that have marked each year 

 Oh our sires were young when that tree first sprung ! 



And now, it lies quietly here. 



And I wonder, when my fight is over 



And I have lain wearily down, 

 Will someone step for a moment 



From the rush of the noisy town 

 And count all my life time over, 



And say, "Loads are lighter a bit, 

 And the world goes by more happily 



Because he has lived in it?" 



