Peculiar Action of Lightning on a Maple Tree * 



By Howard H. Cleaves 



During an electrical storm which occurred during either the 

 latter part of July or the early part of August, 1907, a maple 

 tree in the woods at Princes Bay was struck by lightning and de- 

 stroyed in a most peculiar manner. The tree stood in the midst of 

 the woods, and there appeared to be no reason why any one of the 

 numerous neighboring trees should not have been the unfortunate 

 one. 



At a point some fifteen or twenty feet from the ground on 

 the trunk the bark had been torn off in a strip about ten inches 

 wide, and a few feet below this point, clear to the ground and 

 even out on the exposed roots, there was scarcely a remnant of 

 bark to be found. Above the point where this bark-peeling was 

 started not a trace of injury could be discovered, except a few 

 broken limbs caused by the fall of the tree. 



The main force of the bolt seems to have been spent on the 

 trunk of the tree, at a point about seven feet from the ground. 

 At this place, and for some distance above and below, the trunk 

 was badly splintered and torn apart. A considerable amount of 

 energy must still have remained, however, for the base of the 

 tree had been raised several inches from the ground, and the 

 earth for a short distance on all sides had been greatly disturbed 

 and plowed into. The ground for a radius of at least four feet 

 had been almost completely bared of vegetation, and pieces of 

 the bark torn from the trunk were found at a distance of some 

 fifteen yards. 



After examination by several persons it was declared that no 

 trace of fire anywhere on the trunk could be discovered, with the 

 possible exception of a little strip of wood about six inches long 

 at the very heart of the trunk, which appeared to be somewhat 



1 Presented January 18, 1908. 



