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  FREAK TREES

  OF THE

  STATE OF NEW YORK

  [Illustration: Decoration]


  The New York State
  College of Forestry
  Syracuse University

  FRANKLIN MOON
  Dean


  1926




  Issued by the
  EXTENSION DEPARTMENT
  New York State College of Forestry
  Syracuse, New York


  Material Prepared
  by
  Prof. GURTH WHIPPLE




FOREWORD


“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,” in fact, everywhere in
the woods, whether pathed or pathless, is the dwelling of pleasure.
In the woods abides romance, mystery, music, laughter, beauty,
inspiration, awe, rapture. None can escape the broadening vision, the
excitement 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 challenge 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 wilderness. 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 surroundings. 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

[Illustration: First Prize.

_G. W. Gotham, 89 River Street, Cortland, N. Y._

Two elms, the larger tree appears to have absorbed the growth of the
smaller tree.

Trunk of large tree is bigger above the graft.]

[Illustration: Second Prize.

_C. B. Cox, Adams Center, N. Y._

Elm, trunk runs along surface of earth in half circle 45 feet near
Adams Center on North Harbor Road.]

[Illustration: Third Prize.

_A. Wilson Insley, 30 Eagle Street, Mt. Morris, N. Y._

Elm, one mile south of Conesus Lake.]

[Illustration: Fourth Prize.

_George J. Wiedmaier, 222 King Street, Dunkirk, N. Y._

Maple, 14 inches in diameter arched 7 feet and anchored in birch tree
near Arkwright, N. Y.]

[Illustration: Fifth Prize.

_H. L. Tayntor, McGraw, N. Y._

Double beech, near Homer, N. Y. Graft 18 feet in length and 8 inches
in diameter.]

[Illustration: Sixth Prize.

_W. S. Broad, Morrisville, N. Y._

Twin beeches, Morrisville Swamp.]

[Illustration: Seventh Prize.

_Zack Carman, Prattsville, N. Y._

Elm lyre tree, near Prattsville, N. Y.]

[Illustration: Eighth Prize.

_Augustus C. Merle, R. F. D. 2, Attica, N. Y._

Elm tree, near Attica.]

HONORABLE MENTION

[Illustration: _Louise D. Gaylord, 414 Cortland Ave., Syracuse, N. Y._

Elm tree, ½ mile south of Wolcott, N. Y.]

[Illustration: _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
  prize.

  Location—At the foot of Buck Mountain on east shore of Lake George.
]

[Illustration: _Perry D. Frazer, Ridgewood, N. J._

Limbs of a Hickory tree joined about seven feet from ground. Near
Ramapo, N. Y.]

[Illustration: _Sadie E. Taylor, Protection, N. Y._

Three Maple trees “Grandfather’s Chair.” Located at Protection, N. Y.]

[Illustration: _Bert L. Chambers, Copenhagen, N. Y._

Beech and Maple grown together, Harrisburg, Lewis Co., N. Y.]

[Illustration: _Mahlon Pomeroy, 70 Oxford St., Rochester, N. Y._

Soft Maple tree near the village of Franklin, N. Y.]

[Illustration:

  _Miss Faustina Dunn, Oswego Normal School,
  Oswego, N. Y._

Elm, “The Lyre Tree.”]

[Illustration: _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
Plattsburgh, N. Y.]

[Illustration:

  _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.]

[Illustration:

  _Mrs. W. C. Schlax, 57 Henry Ave.,
  Newburgh, N. Y._

Pine tree, Central Valley, N. Y.]

[Illustration: _Ira Gray, R. F. D. No. 2, Corinth, N. Y._

Beech tree, Sacandaga river, town of Day, Saratoga Co.]

[Illustration:

  _Arthur Burdick, Glenfield, N. Y._

Red Birch tree, Greig, Lewis Co., N. Y.]

[Illustration:

  _“Eddy” Faulks, 821 University Ave.,
  Syracuse, N. Y._

White Spruce near Cranberry Lake, opposite Ranger School.]

[Illustration: _C. H. True, 8 W. 4th St., Fulton, N. Y._

Apple tree, five distinct trunks, large early green apples.]

[Illustration:

  _M. J. Witson, 333 Warburton Ave.,
  Yonkers, N. Y._

Black Birch trees, Oakland Valley.]

[Illustration: _Mr. John O. Bowman, Mayville, N. Y._

Pine tree.]

[Illustration: _L. L. Cross, 449 Broad St., Oneida, N. Y._

Twin Beech, Peterboro Swamp, Madison Co., N. Y.]

[Illustration:

  _Edna A. Fenska, 226 Kensington Road,
  Syracuse, N. Y._

Sugar Maple, near Constantia, N. Y.]

[Illustration: _Perry D. Fraser, Ridgewood, N. J._

Hemlock in crevice of a high cliff of traprock, near Tuxedo, N. Y.]

[Illustration:

  _Miss Dorothy D. Van Gaasbeek, Hill St.,
  Saugerties, N. Y._

Locust trees form a gateway.]

[Illustration: _Arthur Hill, Adams Basin, N. Y._

2 Beech trees connected with branch farm woodlot west of Rochester,
N. Y.]

[Illustration:

  _Miss Margaret Glennon, 114 Lewis Ave.,
  Elmhurst, L. I., N. Y._

Elm tree, about 3½ miles out of the village on the main road, Urlton,
Green Co., N. Y.]

[Illustration: _H. L. Tayntor, McGraw, N. Y._

Beech, Brown’s Gorge, near McGraw.]

[Illustration: _H. T. Pecor, 124 Ferry St., Troy, N. Y._

Cedar, eight trees growing from one stump, 15 to 20 feet high,
Putnam, N. Y.]

[Illustration: _Alice Shutt, Scio, N. Y._

Mountain Ash, six feet tall, limbs wound around each other such that
they form a dense tangle, Scio, N. Y.]

[Illustration:

  _N. W. Van Nostrand, Jr., 802 Carroll St.,
  Brooklyn, N. Y._

Elm, between Berlin and Petersburg, N. Y.]

[Illustration: _Carl Job, Richmond Valley, N. Y._

Beech trees, 5 feet apart, limb grown into the other tree.]

[Illustration:

  _Alice E. Barnes, 511 W. 112th St.,
  New York City._

Birch tree. On the shore of Oquaga Lake.]

[Illustration: _Carl C. Forsaith, Oxford, England._

Pine left, oak right, in New Hampshire. Not eligible.]

[Illustration:

  _Frances E. King, 134 Franklin St.,
  Auburn, N. Y._

Elm tree, Port Byron, N. Y. Growing from old stonework.]

[Illustration: _E. A. Brininstool, Box 1072, Station C, Los Angeles,
Calif._

Near Skyland, Calif. Not eligible.]

[Illustration: The leaning white Pines, near the Mills Camp,
Chestertown, N. Y.]

[Illustration:

  _J. O. Wadsworth, 213 W. Adams St.,
  Syracuse, N. Y._

Banyan tree at the United States Army Barracks, Key West, Florida.
Not eligible.]


TREES NOT ELIGIBLE

[Illustration: _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.]

[Illustration: The Lonesome Pine, Cranberry Lake.

Finds sustenance in a small tuft of moss and huckleberry bushes on
top of a boulder.]

[Illustration: _Newton C. Brainard, Hartford, Conn._

Hornbeam trees naturally grafted.]

[Illustration: _Fred Kenlive, Alden, N. Y._

Beech trees near Alden.]

  _J. B. Lyon Co., Printers, Albany, N. Y._




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 bequeathed 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

[Illustration: Building]

[Illustration: Decoration]




Transcriber’s Note

Standardized names and addresses of pictures as italic.