Is That So?
Ever wondered how the earth
clothed itself, even to the re
motest Island outposts?
A splendid example is cited
in The Wonders of Seeds by a
fellow newswriter, Alfred Stef
ferud: 73 years ago the jungle
island of Krakatoa in the East
Indies blew its top literally
lifting 216 square miles of rock
intp thei air. All of the island
was destroyed except one moun-
7-14-56
tain peak and that was covered
with a thick layer of smoking
ashes from deep within the
earth. Trees, shrubs, small plants
and animals were wiped out; for
the time, all was lifeless. And
the nearest land-life was 25 miles
distant, across the ocean.
Nine months later, a French
botanist visited the island. Care
ful searching yielded only one
sign of life a lone spider busily
spinning a web. (Many spiders'
young can be carried into the
.air and balloon long distances
on filaments they exude.) All
else was lifeless.
Three years later, a Dutch bot
anist visited the islands. He
found many seashore plants
along the coast; further inland,
ferns and grasses. Ten years
later, another scientist found the
island well clothed with beef
wood trees, orchids, coconut
trees and wild sugar cane.,
How did the plants get to this
isolated island to reclothe it so
quickly?
Four ways by birds, wind,
water and animals plus in this
instance, humans.
Wind Carried Spores
The wind carried the very tiny
fern spores which are so light
that even a gentle air can carry
them a hundred miles and more.
The orchid seeds, too, were car
ried by the wind. Although true
seeds and slightly larger than the
fern spores, they are yet so
small that it takes 8,000,000 or
so to weigh one ounce! But how
ever small, each one is capable
of producing a beautiful self
sustaining wonderfully colored
flower!
Through the countless ages,
many other plants have perfected
even more complicated methods
of riding the air currents: ma
pies, ashes, and elms have de
veloped winged fruits; dande
lions, lettuce and many thistles
have perfected parachutes; some
like the milkweed, willow and
cotton have grown long silky
hairs which enable them to fly;
and plants like the ground-cherry
have enclosed their seeds in
paper-thin cases with air in them
to act as balloons and help them
move through the air.
As for denuded Krakatoa's
seashore plants, such as coco
nuts, they took the water route.
(Some coconuts' from the Sey
chelles Islands, largest of all
seeds, exceed 40 pounds each.)
Protected by thick husks and
hard seed coats, coconuts can
float for weeks on end. Finally
cast ashore by waves and moist
ened by rain water and dew,
they sprout. And again, thanks
, to a miraculous provision, these
seeds can sprout and grow with
out beinc covered with soil.
Many other fruits and seeds
are lighter than water, too, and
float easily. It is not unusual for
large rivers to carry seeds from
one end of the continent almost
to the other but a more fre
quent means is by the tiny rivu
lets following a heavy rain.
Next, birds brought seeds to
krakatoa. Quite likely among
the first were papaya and fig
their hard seeds are so con
structed that the flesh can be
digested while the seeds remain
impervious to the powerful di
gestive acids of the bird's stom
ach. In fact, some seeds are
helped toward germination by
fteing in birds stomachs.
Sprout Where Dropped
With some birds, like black
birds, horned larks, and pheas
ants, some seeds pass tnrougn
the birds' bodies and sprout
where they are dropped; with
others, like robins, crows, wax-
wings, and bluebirds, the fleshy
REPRINTS
8 Exposure Roll...
PENNYWISE 3" E. Main
By EUGENE BURNS
Ranger-Naruraliit
fruit's soft pulp is digested and
the hard seeds passed; a few like
the jays, woodpeckers and tit
mice often carry large seeds
away and store them, like acorns,
and either forget their hoards or
die before they eat them and
the seeds sprout; a few birds
die with the seeds in their bodies
and the seeds then germinate;
and finally, some seeds stick to
the feet, lags and feathers of
birds, like ducks and geese who
may have floating seeds on their
feathers when they rise from
the water and walk or fly to
another place.
Finally, man brought his own
fruit trees to Krakatoa where
they grew for a time but be
fore they could get underway,
the natural jungle crowded them
out. However, in other areas
man usually carries his starchy
food plants with him, food such
as wheat, corn, rice, potatoes,
radishes, and other plants.
Thereby, although he seldom
thinks of it in that way, nature
has duped man to help her dis
perse her seeds all over the
world.
Although the methods of seed
dispersal in Krakatoa were lim
ited to these "four, nature has not
two other means: she has made
seeds which hang on to passers
by seeds with needles, barbs
and burrs that cling to animals.
And she has perfected seeds that
can be broadcast by the plants
themselves such as violets,
tcuch-me-nots, pansy and witch
hazel. All of these shoot their
seeds out of pods. Not very far,
true, but far enough to give
them a better chance to grow.
And in millions of years, yard
by yard they can and do cross
continents.
(Copyrigh, 1956, By Eugene '
Burns Released by McClure
Newspaper Syndicate)
Free: By special arrangement
with the editors of the Encyclo
pedia Americana, my panel of
judges will award each week to
the readers who send me the
best true-life nature adventure,
the best nature observation, or
the best question on nature and
wildlife, a complete 30-volume
set of this world-famous refer
ence work in a handsome Seal
craft binding. Each week new
submissions will be considered.
Sorry, I simply can't answer
your many friendly letters.
Please address your letter to:
Is That So! co Medford Mail
Tribune. ' '
The Family: Council
Editor's Note: The Family Council consists of a Judge, a psychiatrist, a
newspaper editor, a women's page editor and two newspaper writers. These
consult with clergymen ol all faiths and denominations. All letters are held
In complete confidence.
J. R. My wife is driving our
daughter to satisfy her own am
bitions. Mrs. J. R. He is holding her
back.
J. R. We have two rather tal
ented daughters. They are both
musically inclined and we have
eiven them lessons since early
childhood. The older girl, Marie
has somewhat more natural abil
ity than her sister, but Kay is
the harder worker, i think that
they could each achieve about
pmial modest, success on the
stage or as teachers.
Mv wife, who is a frustrated
opera singer, has always believ
ed that Mane has a great gut.
She recently took her to a fa
mous teacher who coddled her in
this opinion and offered to take
Marie on and to train her for
opera.
I know my daughter and
know that she just doesn't have
it in her to put in the work that
is required. My wife is just driv
ing Marie to satisfy her own am
bitions and they are both headed
for heartbreak.
.
Mrs. J. R. The truth is that
my husband does not want Marie
to set ahead of Kay. Marie is
prettier and has more personal
ity than Kay and my nusDana
has always tried to hold Marie
har-V sn that she will not out
shine Kay too much. Kay is a
greater favorite of his.
The Council: Mrs. J. R. is prob
ably being unfair when she ac
cuses her husband of playing fav
orites with his daughters. He is
probably rightfully concerned
about the welfare of his talented
and less flashy daughter.
Garden Notes
Br
C. B. CORDY
County Extension
Agent foi Horticulture
Soil fungi are responsible for
the deterioration of roots on
many of our common garden
plants. When root systems are
affected by these fungus rots
they turn black and are no
longer effective in absorbing
moisture and nutrients. Because
of this poor root system severely
affected plants generally are
rather easily pulled from the
ground. Strawberries, raspber
ries, and asters are some of the
plants which are most common
ly affected by these root rots.
One of the characteristics of
plants affected with root rots is
that they make a normal growth
in the spring and then as the
first hot days of summer strike
them the old growth yellows and
loses its vigor, the blossoms or
fruit that are being produced
will remain small in size. With
herbaceous plants such as asters
the plants will wilt overnight
and fail to recover.
Control Measures
As the diseases develop in the
soil control measures are diffi
cult because it is so difficult to
penetrate the soil. Soil fumiga
tion is the only cure , and this is
frequenty ineffective because of
the ease with which the area is
reinfected from nearby areas.
Growing resistant plants is the
best prevention and even then a
certain percentage of the resis
tant plants will be attacked.
Some of our large trees are
also affected. The Catalpa will
frequently have one or two wilt
ed branches appear and while
this wilting occurs in the top of
the tree the cause of the trouble
is in the roots. A similar trouble
affects cedars but this disease
attacks the roots and crown of
the plant and results in a dieing
from the bottom part upward.
In addition to these root rot
troubles we are this year experi
encing considerable tree loss
from the excess moisture last
year. This loss is just now show
ing up in many of the trees with
most of the complaints coming
in about the black locust. In .the
case of trees affected with excess
water last winter the only treat
ment that could be given them
now is to give them very careful
watering at this time so that
the remaining root system would
have the best possible chance of
nourishing the tree.
On the other hand, J. R. is
wrong to impose limits on the
older girl for the sake of the
younger. He agrees that Marie
has more talent and a . famous
teacher apparently agrees with
Mrs. J. R. that the voice is poten
tial opera material. A famous
teacher would not waste time on
the girl if she did not have pos
sibilities. Up until now, Marie has per
haps shown little capacity for
work, but people rise to situa
tions and the knowledge that she
has a natural gift of high quality
might give the girl a new impe
tus. It is only fair to give her at
least the opportunity to find the
fullest expression of which she
is capable.
The husband and wife should
not assume that Kay would be
jealous of her sister or that she
will be outshone in every way. If
the family relations are happy
and loving, Kay might well take
great pride in her sister and at
the same time prefer her . own
less spectacular role in life.
If she gets a great deal of love
and attention from both her par
ents and if they try to help her
with her own career as much as
they do Marie, there is no reason
why Kay won't be happy in a
more modest life in which she
.might find even greater fulfill
ment and happiness than Marie
in an impressive career.
(Copyright 1956, General
Features Corp.)
Cg: 77 f i RESCUE TWiS CASE
NESBITT'S
at your ?5Wil
GROCER IISI
Unpaid Library Fines
Estimated at $1,000;
Notices Being Mailed
The amount of money owed
to the Medford Public library
in unpaid "late" fines for books
was estimated as well over
$1,000 by Librarian Miss Helen
Webster last weetc.
She said the library is in
the process of sending out "re
minders" to patrons of the
amounts owned. While most of
On The Side
By E. V. DURLINO
(Distributed by King Features
Syndicate, Inc.)
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more.
Men were deceivers ever
One foot in sea and one on snore
To one thins constant never.
Then sigh not so, but let them go
And be you blithe and bonny
Converting all your signs of woe
Into, hey, nonny, nonny.
Shakespeare.
From the European tourist
front come many reports of record-breaking
high hotel and res
taurant prices. Such prices are
strictly for the uninformed and
uninitiated. They prevail in
what are generally referred to as
"tourist traps." The experienced
traveler knows how to avoid
these bankroll wreckers. For ex
ample, take the French Riviera.
There are hotels in Monaco
where you can get a comfortable
room for less than $2 a night.
Also restaurants where you can
dine well for less than a dollar..
In Monaco, these places are on
the Rue Des Olivres. There are
equally inexpensive places in
Nice and Cannes. So, if you want
to see Nice, Cannes and the
church in Monaco where Grace
Kelly was married before you
die, don't be scared off by re
ports of prohibitive prices. There
are many inexpensive ways of
getting to Europe and also a num
ber of places there where mo
derate prices still prevail.
Asking
Queries from clients. Q. Mar
lene Dietrich is now as slender
and as well formed as when I
saw her in the film titled "The
Blue Angel" nearly 25 years ago.
How does she do it? What is her
diet? A. Marlene is one of those
fortunate people who neither has
to diet nor exercise to keep well
streamlined. She eats anything
and plenty of it. One of her fav
orite side dishes is mashed pota
toes and gravy.
Ideal Bill
How much of a vaudeville fan
were you in the yesteryear? How
do you think the present day
variety shows on television com
pare with "big time" vaudeville
of the past? Have you ever fig
ured out an "ideal vaudeville
bill"? What follows is Joe Laur
ie's idea of a perfect vaudeville
bill:
1. Joe Jackson trick cyclist
' 2. Doyle and Dixon dancers
3. Will Rogers
4. Nora Bayes and Jack
worth
5. Burns & Allen
6. Imhof, Conn and Corinne
8. Smith and Dale
9. Wills, West and McGinty
(The comedy builders)
Over There
In Great Britain purses won in
Greyhound races are tax free.
All money won in wagering on
such races is also tax free. No tax
is collected on money won bet
ting on horse races. The huge
amounts won 'in football pools
are also tax free. No wonder
Great Britain has become a na
tion of gamblers.
Stogie Department
The only town in the United
States named after Ireland's pa
tron saint is St. Patrick, Mo.
That's what I said. Now a sub
scriber, demanding a carefully
wrapped stogie be sent to him by
return mail, points out that in
New Mexico there is a town nam
ed San Patricio. How about this?
Dp you think I lose the stogie?
them are small, sue said, in some
cases they amount to as much
as $10 to $15.
Library patrons who have bor
rowed books and then, through
inadvertence, failed to return
them, also are being sent re
minder notices, she reported, as
are those who have returned
books which were damaged.
For Fairness
"This is certainly not a 'get
tough' policy," Miss Webster
stated. "But in fairness to all
our patrons, and to the taxpay
ers who support the library, we
feel as we must make an at
tempt to secure payment of the
amounts due," she added.
Mrs. Marjorie Shepler, head
of .the circulation department,
with the assistance of Mrs.
Wilma Eubanks and Mrs. Mar
jorie Haley, is mailing -out the
statements to all borrowers
whose records are not 'clear."
The project is in preparation
for a modernized system of reg
istration, using mechanical book
chargers, which will get under
way early in the fall. New li
brary cards will be issued to
all borrowers eventually, and
will have inset embossed metal
plates, similar to the familiar
charge-a-plates",used by many
department stores and gasoline
retailers.
Musi Be Paid
All fees and fines must be
paid before one of the new cards
can be issued, Miss Webster said,
and books will not be checked
out to anyone who has unpaid
fines or missing books outstand
ing.
The librarian explained that
fines are not levied primarily
for revenue, but to insure the
fairest use of library materials,
and their punctual return for
the use of other readers. How
ever, all fines and fees collected
are deposited with the city trea
surer, and are available for li
brary use as a budgeted "ex
pected income" item during the
following fiscal year. This
amount has been estimated at
more than $2,500 for the com
ing year, and Miss Webster
pointed out that it is a major
income item, as well as the
fairest method libraries have
yet found for the protection of
all their patrons and a guaran
tee of faster service.
KMED KA
jiiiltfa liri i Mw aiiiaaaaaaiiBUaaa!!
Groceteria Mgr. Melvin Hall looks on as KMED Program Director
Norm Oberst presents Mary Hammock with her KASHBOX check
for $724.00, and Mrs. Lydjard presents the Groceteria Merchan
dise award.
THE KMED KASHBOX SHOW IS
RADIO SHOW
FLORENCE CACHELIN
MARGARET LUELLING
MRS. ALLEN SMITH
MRS. HARRY HAMILTON
MRS. L. R. WILSON
MRS. HENRY CROUCHER
SOLVE THIS RIDDLE
I CAN STAND OR NOT
WHERE I AM PUT.
PRETTY WELL TOO
FOR JUST ONE FOOT.
RUSHED UNDER WAY.
NO PLACE TO GO.
THAT WHICH I.AM
YOU REALLY SHOULD KNOW.
Sunday, July IS. 1958
News About Books
From the Library
A surprising number of stories
of famous theatrical personalities
have been published in recent
years.
A theatrical biography by a
husband is Richard Aldrich's
book, "Gertrude Lawrence as
Mrs. A." This is the story of two
real, engaging people and the of
ten gay, sometimes tempestuous,
but always exciting life they led
together. Ethel Barrymore re
calls her long life in the theater
in "Memories," while the story of
Katherine Cornell is told in
"Curtain Going Up!" by Gladys
Malvern.
Movie Personalities
Biographies of a number of
well-known movie actors and ac
tresses have also appeared. "Sun
shine and Shadow," is the title
selected by Mary Pickford for
her autobiography. In it she tells
the intensely moving and person
al story of her life. John Bain
bridge's "Garbo" is the story of
the fatuous and hysterical journ
alism. "The Oliviers," ' by Felix
Barker, is the life story of actor
Sir Laurence Olivier and his actress-wife,
Vivien Leigh. This au
thorized biography traces the rise
to fame of these two people sin
cerely decidated to their art, to
their profession, and to one an
other. In "Orchids and Salami,"
the youngest Gabor sister, Eva,
tells of her life in Hungary and
her experiences in adapting her
self to American life and publi
city. Radio and TV
Radio and television come
dians are also represented among
the new biographies. "Treadmill
to Oblivion," recalls the late
Fred Aliens' long years on radio.
Another amusing autobiogra
phy is "Have Tux, Will Travel,"
a breezy, crackling story of Bob
Hope's life. Hedda Hopper is a
potent force in Hollywood today,
and in "From Under My Hat,"
she breezily describes her scoops
and shenanigans.
All of these books are avail
able from the Medford Public li
brary or any branch of the Jack
son County library system.
Two excellent new books on
home decorating "The Com
plete Book of Home Decorating"
and "Modern Home Decorating"
have been added to the li
brary. Many other helpful books
SHBOX AWARDS s5128.
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brary. The author, who conducts
a synaicaiea newspaper column
on rptirpmpnt has infpruipwpd
thousands of people about their
retirement experiences and prob
lems. Washington Firm
Submits Low Bid
Portland U.R) Cresto and
Lanphere of Long Beach, Wash.,
was apparent low bidder with a
figure of $93,575 for clearing
right-of-way and construction of
access roads for 19 miles of
230,000-volt transmission line in
Douglas county, Bonneville Pow
er Administration reported
Saturday.
The line will extend from the
Umpqua river to Reston.
FATALLY INJURED
Grants Pass (U.R) Coleman
Youngblood, 22-year-old O'Brien
logger, was fatally injured Fri
day when he was hit by a log
at a woods operation near here.
Announcement!
"Your Exclusive Hotpoint Dealer"
Offering you courteous and friendly service
Drop in and See Ma or Call 3-5306
mt
14 Y f-'H 7
Western Thrift Mgr. Wayne Welty presents Mrs. R. M. Elrod with
the KASHBOX check for $400.00 and the Western Thrift mer
chandise award as KMED Program Director Norm Oberst inter
views the lucky winner.
THE LARGEST AHD MOST POPULAR
the Winners
MRS. A. W. STEVENSON
THERESA O'CONNOR
MRS. J. R. WOOD
MRS. OLIVE FOUNTAIN
MARY HAMMACK
MRS. R. M. ELROD
KASHBOX Game?
MEDFORD (OREGOK) MAIL TRIBUNE FIVE
Civil Service Announces
Correction Officer Exam
The civil service commission
has issued a new examination
announcement for. a male cor
rectional officer in federal pen
al and correctional institutions
throughout the United States.
Further information and ap
plication forms may be obtain
ed from Chester Silliman in the
U. S.-Post Office building in
Medford.
RELIABLE
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