they wear the snow with a difference

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JANUARY, 1945VOL. 20 NO.1

MORTON ARBORETUMJ O Y MORTOI ' J . FOUNDER

BULLETIN OF POPULAR INFORMATION

ISLE, ILLINOIS

THEY WEAR THE SNOW WITH A DIFFERENCE

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Weather is the Master of Ceremonies under whose show

manship plants take their turns in the spotlight. Each changing

mood points out a specialist. The best performer in dew is

probably a lupine leaf; in hoar frost, it is ironwood; and in sleet,

the beaded curtain of weeping willow twigs. In the wind the

best performer is the white pine; but in a breeze it is the trem

bling aspen, or silver poplar; while in the thirsty wind of a

summer drought it is cottonwood, making the sound of rain

on the roof. The place on which prevailing westerlies write

their permanent record most plainly is a row of willows. A

slow spring rain makes the best blue-gray setting for the pale

yellow of hazel catkins, but a fall rain achieves its triumph

when it blackens the trunks of red oak "in contrast with thebrilliance of fall foliage.

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But these are passing moods of weather compared to snow.

In this winter of much snow we realize that it is well to be

surrounded by those good companions that meet the winter

with charm, as well as those that offer spring, summer, or

falldisplay.

Among our native trees, perhaps white oak, bur oak, haw

thorn, and ironwood hold the snow most pleasingly. These


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trees are alike in having a tendency to horizontal branching,

but each of them has individuality in holding the snow.

The wide-spreading vigor. of white oak receives it, like allweather, serenely, effortlessly; and the bulging biceps of the

bur oak with its corky twigs and rough bark make the snow

seem a sweater pulled carelessly across the shoulders of a

full-back between quarters. On the hawthorn the snow IS a

loosely crocheted shawl of wool, but on the ironwood it is

precise lacework.

-The evergreens have distinctive ways with snow. Those flat

overlapping shelves mark Colorado spruce, while the next tree

proclaims itself Norway spruce by its manner of holding snow

on its ridges and letting it slide from pendent twigs. The hem

lock accepts it as an unnecessary adjunct to her sufficiency ofgrace, and lets it slide from relaxed finger tips. White pine

turns its needles down like a fringe below the snow, but mugo

pine keeps its needles erect, uplifting neat muffins in its

fingers. '.

But for all the beauty of snow on our evergreens we must

.not let it lie too heavily, or broken branches will mar future

formal symmetry. True, in the north woods and on the moun

tain tops, they bear their snow without man's interference, but

how few of them are symmetrical in old age, or need to be.

Especially do the saucer-shaped evergreens, such as yew,.

common juniper, and Pfitzer juniper, -need help to prevent

breakage.

Some fruits that persist through the winter have interest

ing ways with the snow. Each brown raceme of ninebark wears

an elf cap. And high-bush cranberry offers brilliant clustered (drupes a la mode to any itinerant flock of cedar waxwin:gs, the

only birds that seem to appreciate them . .

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Some Norway maples and box elders hold characteristic

snowy knobs along their trunks.

The rhododendron hardly offers a foothold to snow, but

it is a good living thermometer for just outside the window

to help one decide whether to wear that extra sweater. When neach leaf curls back and points straight down, it is best' to

wear it, and warm mittens, too. But when the leaves rise 20

from the vertical, it is safe to unwind the mufflers. When the'

leaves rise above 45 f;rom the vertical, water-proof boots

will be useful.

Others that refuse to hold the snow are white birches and

weeping willows. The white birch does well to eschew this rival

that turns the birch's own much-advertised whiteness to pale

yellow. But the ragged bark of river birch holds handfuls ofit, enhancing its own coppery tones.

Other colors that profit by contrast with the snow are the

red buds of linden, hawthorn, silver maple, and the fruits of

the many-flowered rose; the brown leaves of white oak, and

bayberry; the lavender bloom on arching canes of red rasp

berry; the orange inner bark of hawthorns; the cinnamon bark

of Scotch pine branches; and the green twigs of spice bush

and sassafras.

MAY THEILGAARD WATTS

BOARD OF TRUSTEESMRS. JOSEPH M. CUDAHY, Chairman

JOSEPH M. CUDAHY 1"ARK MORTON STERLING MORTON . WIRT MORTONMRS. ERNEST A. HAMILL II ERNEST A. HAMILL 11* JOHN A. HOLABIRD DANIEL PETERKIN, JR.* * *LARENCE E. GODSHALK E. LOWELL KAMMERER* MRS. RAYMOND WATTS ROY M. NORDINE

Director* N o w serving in the armed forces.

Arboriculturist Natura list Propagator

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE MORTON ARBORETUM, LISLE, ILLINOISSINGLE COPIES 10c SUBSCRIPTION FEE $1.00 A YEAR DOUBLE COPIES 20c

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they wear the snow with a difference

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