Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1914 — TREES LIVE FOR CENTURIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TREES LIVE FOR CENTURIES

Six Thousand Years Is the Age of One on the Canary Islands, and There Numerous Others, f-— —- Knowing that some trees have reached the age of several thousand years; it is surprising that so many of our shade trees should die so young. The age of a dragon tree on one of the Canary Islands is said to bq, more than 6,000 years; that of a bald cypress in Mexico is believed to be more than 4,000 years, and that of an Enggllsh oak in Europe and a “big tree” (Sequoia glgantea) in California is known to be more than 2,000 years. Many trees also have attained to enormous size, both in height and diameter. The eucalyptus in Australia is known to reach a height of 470 feet

and the “big tree." the redwood, and the Douglas fir in California often grow to a height of three hundred feet The sycamore and tulip tree in the eastern states, sometimes reach a height of 160 feet The tree of largest diameter is found at the base of Mount Etna, in Sicily. It is a species of chestnut and its trunk is more than sixty feet in diameter. Some people claim this remarkable tree, is the result of several Individuals. The Orlen tal sycamore comes next with a diameter of -about forty feet—FYom “Trees in Winter” by Blakeslee and Jarvis. L