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;X MEDFOUD (OlSGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Is That So?
Before World War II. farmer
U. Liu was plowing his rich i
blacg, farmland in South Man
churia pftparatory to sowing
O sghum, millet and wheat when
his plow suddenly turned up
some hard, strange-looking ob
jects. They looked almost like
wine cups. Curious, he took
0 them home, cracked them with
a heavy object and found inside
each "cup" a dozen acorn-like
dark brown objects which con
tained soft creamy centers.
lii tasted them and they
tasted good. But what could
they be?
Finding other sweet - tasting
objects in his black loam in suc
ceeding days, the puzzled Liu
sent them to a botanist ffiend,
Ichiro Ohga, in Tokyo, telling
ill'
G
him he had been finding them
while plowing in a fieid bord
ered 3)y willows, elms and pop
lars. Dr. Ohga at once identified
them as lotus seeds but how
could lotus seeds occur in plow
ed land and land that had
been plowed by our genera
tions of Lius?
Curious scientist that he was,
Dr. Ohga went to Pulantien in
South Manchuria to see for him
. self. There, sure enough, he too
found seeds near a grove of pop
lars and willows. Judging from
the peaty nature of the soil, he
surmised correctly that the land
had once been under water. Per
haps an earthquake, not uncom
mon to that region, had raised
the land; or an eruption of a
volcano deep inside the "earth
had raised the valley floor so
that the lake had drained; or
a tremendous flood had sluiced
out the lake. But judging from
the size of the poplars, that
must have been at least 150
years ago. If so, the lotus seeds
must have lain in the ground
all these years. Now if he could
get them to sprout, he might
JACKSONVILLE
Date Set For Smorgasbord
O By MRS. C. S. HOSKINS
Jacksonville The Jackson
ville Parent-Teachers associa
O tion has set the date for their
annual Smorgasbord and Square
Dance for Feb. 9, according to
Mrs. Ross Crowley, general
chairman of the event.
It will be held at the Jackson
ville school with dinner to be
served from 5 until 8 p.m. Mrs.
Fred Edens and Mrs. John Neid
ermeyer will be swving with
Mrs. Crowley, co-chairman, and
other nwnbers of the PTA as
sisting with serving and prepar-
p,ation of the food.
On theftnenu will be roast tur
key, baked fish and ham, Swed
ish meat-ball and the usual
trimmings. There will be a
charge of $1.50 for adults and
75 cents for children under 12.
Ten of the valley's popular call
ers will be on hand for the
square dance for which no extra
O charge will be made. Dancing
will be m 8 until 11 p.m.
Some out of town visitors last
week were Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Peterson of Brainerd, Minn.
They spent a day visiting with
the J. E. Johnsons with whom
they hav been friends for 40
years.
O
Mr. and Mrs. Byron Sanford
moved last week to the small
house on the Preston ranch on
-the Applegate. Their home
here, at 801 South Third street,
has been leased.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Rcavis
have recently sold their home
at 610 south Fourth street to
Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Tetreault of
Dark Hollow road near Griffin
creek. The Reavis family has
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By EUGENE BURNS
Ranger-Naturalist
have the oldest viable seeds that
any scientist had yet come
across.
He tested 200 of these seeds
in his laboratory and 200
sprouted.
Seeds Given Scieniisti
Ohga gave other seeds to
scientists and explained how
they were found in a cultivated
field. Some scientists made wild
guesses as to their possible age
others, frankly, disbelieved
the whole story.
Finally, the true story came
after World War II in Chicago
and the answer is today in
Washington, D.C.
The answer came through a
new dating method, called Ra
diocarban 1 test a test based
upon 'the intake of radioactive
carbon by all living things, in
cluding man, and its slow but
steady disappearance from the
tissues of all plants and animals
once they die or stop growing.
Using the best of these seeds,
the founder of the method, Dr.
W. F. Libby of the University
of Chicago discovered that these
seeds were 1,040 years old, give
or take a few years.
Thousand year old seeds! Still
viable but how viable? They
had sprouted in a laboratory
but would they grow, blossom
and bear seeds to reproduce
themselves? That was the cru
cial question.
Story Jumps
Now our story jumps to Wash
ington. Horace V. Wester of the
National Park service took two
'of these now precious seeds. He
filed through their flinty sides
and soaked them in water for
15 minutes. Then he put them
under moist cotton in a covered
dish. On the fifth day, a tiny
rootlet came out: of one. On the
seventh, the other seed sprout
ed. He transplanted them into
large pots immersed in a tank
of water in a greenhouse.
If you want to see plants
growing today from this oldest
living seed ever discovered, then
go to the Kenilworth Aquatic
Gardens, Washington, D.C. And
tell 'em Burnso sent you!
(Copyright, 1957, by
Eugene Bruns)
Free: By special arrangement
with the editors of the Encyclo
pedia Americana, my panel of
judges will award each week
to the reader who sends me the
and plan to move there about
March.
Burial services were held last
Thursday at the Jacksonville
cemetery for Charles Eek who
died at the Veteran's hospital
in Portland last Monday. He was
well known in this area. Surviv
ers include tbree sons, John
and James Eek of Jacksonville,
and Robert Eek of Medford, one
daughter, Mrs. Louise Flagg,
also of Medford as well as other
relatives. Eek was a World War
I veteran, serving in the 167th
Infantry.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Belau and
children had just returned re
cently from a week's visit at
Gridley, Calif, where they were
guests of Mrs. Belau's brother
the Rev. Hazen Chester, when
they were called to Akeley,
Minn, by the death of Belau's
father Fred Belau.
Leaving the two school-age
children in the care of their
grandmother, Mrs. Earl Chester,
of Jacksonville, the Belau's
took their two younger child
ren and drove the family car.
They report that the whole 5000
mile, 16 day trip was made in
disagreeable ice and snow con
ditions. The Belau family were
reunited for the first time in
23 years at the funeral services.
Enroute home the Harry
Belaus stopped off at Culbert
son. Neb. for a four days visit
with Mrs. Belau's uncle the Rev.
Earl Larson and family.
Mrs. Pearl Kitchen returned
this week after five weeks
absence from Jacksonville, rid
ing as far as Oakville, Wash,
with the Quintin Jordons on
their recent trip Mrs. Kitchen
visited in Oakville at the home
of her sister, Mr. and Mrs. H. M.
Channing. Enroute home she
visited a sister-in-law, Mr. and
Mrs. T. A. Lakes at Portland
and also spent a week with her
daughter. Mrs. Gertrude Tryon
of Grants Pass before returning
to Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Lions club
report that their Jan. 31 pan
cake supper at the Community
hall was a success. They served
over 100 people and cleared a
total S69 which was turned over
to the March of Dimes. The men
report that they carried out the
entire project without the as
sistance of their respective
mates.
Henry Newcome, of Van
couver. B.C., who has been visit
ing at the Quintin Jordon home
the past few weeks, left for
home last week. He is a cousin
of Mrs. Jordon.
Mr. and Mrs. Quinton Jordon
and family and the Henry Jor
dons and family, of Jacksonville,
were all evening dinner guests
Sunday, Jan. 22, at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Jordon of
Central Point. Mrs. Mabel
Groves of Jacksonville also ac
companied the Quintin Jordons.
Tuesday, February S, 1957
I 11 F A
33
LEAVING WASHINGTON TOGETHER for a brief vaca
tion are the President and Charles E. Wilson, defense secre
tary, left, with Mrs. Wilson. If there is any difference
between them over Wilson's remarks about the National
Guard it Is not apparent here. (International Soundphoto)
best true-life nature adventure,
or the best nature observation,
or the best question on nature
and wildlife a complete 30-vol-ume
set of this world-famous
reference work in a handsome
Sealcraft binding. Each week
new submissions will be consid
ered. Sorry, I simply can't an
swer your many friendly let
ters. Please address your let
ter to: Is That So; care of Med
ford Mail Tribune, Box 575,
Sausalito, Calif.
TABLE ROCK
Many Attend
By R. E. NEALON
Table Rock The Table Rock
Community meeting Friday
night, Jan. 25, drew a larger at
tendance than usual, with many
visitors present from other parts
of the valley.
The program consisted of a
"litterbug" skit by members of
the Central Point Garden club,
a trumpet solo, by Jeffrey An
horn, accompanied by his moth
er, both of Central Point, a
short play, "The Scandal," by
five Table Rock ladies, Ruth
Brown, Norma Matteson, Bar
bara Taylor, Joyce Robinson,
and Lois Smith and a song by
Anita and Rita Pierce.
Miss Marjorie Hatten, 4-H
leader, a recent sojourner ui
Norway, showed, slides illustrat
ing farm life and conditions in
that country, explaining as she
went along, farming methods
and machinery used in planting
and harvesting crops.
Mrs. Ernest Smith, heading a
committee to study some plan of
arousing more interest in com
munity meetings and spacing the
time of meetings, made a report
in which plans were submitted
to be voted on by members at
the next meeting, Feb. 22. .
During a round table discus
sion at Saturday night's meet
ing of the Sams Valley Grange,
it seemed to be the concensus of
opinion that the family size farm
that Ray Gill, past master of the
Oregon State Grange, claims is
the back bone of the nation, is
fast disappearing as a place to
make enough to live and raise
a family.
One farmer stated that if the
Soil Bank would pay him $12
an acre for keeping his land idle,
he would make more than he
does farming it.
The ground was frozen here
to a greater depth than for sev
eral years. The little woman de
cided that we should dig a mess
of carrots, so we started in with
a trowel, and ended up using a
pick before we go a few carrots
out of the five inches of frozen
ground.
The flock of swans that have
been coming to this section to
winter for about 11 years with
this year only 3 or 4 showing up
at first, have now increased to
some 14.
Jim Cornutt, the Kanes creek
poultry and dairyman was up
this way last week after feed,
and took back with him 10 gal
lons of drinking water, his water
system being frozen.
Of interest to Table Rock
folk was the news of the birth
of a son, Alan Patrick, Saturday
Jan. 19, to the Delmar Dooleys
in Tehran, Iran. Mrs. Dooly is
the former Thalia Doty, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Doty
of this district.
A young black and white dog,
about the size of a cocker span-
OIL TO
DISTRIBUTOR
LET US FILL, YOUR TANK TODAY!
MEDFORD FUEL CO.
Court and McAndrews Telephone 2-21 1 1
WE GIVE "S&H" GREEN STAMPS
s;2J l-s
Larger Homes Seen as
Offset to Building Lag
Portland (U.R) Carvel Lin
den, vice president of the U.S.
National Bank, has predicted
that the current lag in home
building would be offset this
year by a greater number of
larger homes.
Linden addressed Oregon and
Washington chamber managers
at the first session of a two-day
meeting.
Club Program
iel, came to the A. C. Allen place
recently. The dog is a nice
friendly critter, and would be a
nice pet for children. It can be
obtained by communicating with
Mr. Allen.
Mrs. Ray Wyatt left by plane
Friday morning to visit her son,
Kenneth and family, in Castro
valley, Calif. She expects to be i
gone about two weeks.
According to figures we have
obtained from farmers here who
are feeding cattle, there is some
thousand head of cattle being
wintered in the district. This in
cludes, besides th regular farm
herds, cattle belonging to stock
men in other parts of the county,
who bring cattle here to feed on
the dry pumice soil.
A birthday dinner given for
J. S. Richardson last Sunday at
the R. E. Nealon home was at
tended by Mr. and Mrs. James
Cornutt and Mrs. Emma Hous
ton of Kanes creek, Mr. and Mrs.
Ernest Leavitt of the Old Stage
road and Mr. and Mrs. J. S.
Richardson of this district.
L. D. Inskeep, our 180-pound
doctor, was asking us if we
knew of an old timer who told
him some 37 years ago about a
big snow and flood in the Rogue
River valley. The man telling
the story was supposed to have
been here, he and his partner,
at the time having built a cabin
near the present site of the Table
Rock store. When the five feet
of snow finally went off, the fast
moving water got so high that
the cabin was almost submerged
before the occupants knew it,
and the partner was never seen
again but the narrator was
saved by getting to Table Rock.
The date as "Doc" remembers it
was '73. We have heard the same
story, but the date was 1860,
but we never met the narrator
or knew his name. '
John B. Caird, deputy asses
sor, was on official duty here
Thursday. He was taking a cen
sus of new buildings construct
ed since last year's census, and
buildings torn down or de
stroyed. E. A. mentioned to us that he
felt complimented that we
named our typewriter for him,
but we are afraid we spoiled it
when we said Eric was an awful
poor speller.
The Rev. Allen Hill and fam
ily of Central Point, were vis
itors last Sunday at the local
Sunday school.
The Table Rock Ladies club
will meet Feb. 14, on Thursday,
instead of the usual Wednesday
at the Ray Bosworth home.
"Tippie," the watch dog at
the Don Wheeler farm, recently
increased the dog population by
a half dozen, which Mrs. Wheel
er says over-stocked the farm,
so she is giving the pups to folks
who might want just a common
dog.
BURN'
Medford Attorney
Back From Salem
Edward Branchfield, a partner
in the legal firm of Roberts,
Kellington and Branchfield, re
turned last week end from Sa
lem where he had been for two
weeks.
Branchfield was assisting in
the State Bar association's pro
gram of furnishing lawyers to
draw up bills in their proper
form for members of the legisla
ture. The plan has been in effect
for the past several sessions, and
has been well-received by the
legislature.
The Bar association program
is one of three ways legislators
have of getting bills prepared.
The others are through the leg
islative council and the attorney
general's office.
Mrs. Branchfield and their
son, Paul, visited Branchfield for
a few days during his stay in
Salem.
Bolivia's f. nit of currency is
called the boliviano.
Be Chosen As Our
Just register your name er have your husband do it for you
at Home Appliance Company. That's all there is to it. Nothing for
you to buy . . . and there's no gimmicks. On Valentine's Day,
February 14th, we'll have a simple drawing . . . and some luck
lady will have a brand new 1957 G-E Mobile Maid delivered to
her the same day. Only rules are: It must be a lady whose name
is registered (we'll have a contest for bachelors later much
later). All names must be registered by 5:30 p.m. February 13th.
You can register as many times as you wish . . . whenever you're
downtown. Of course, as in all Home Appliance Company contests
you needn't worry about us using your name as a "Birdog"
list . . . no one will ring your doorbell every other day. Be sure
you register soon . . . and maybe you'll be OUR VALENTINE and
win this beautiful new G-E Mobile Maidl
IF YOU HAVE A G-E MOBILE MAID-
IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A G-E MOBILE MAID . . . (and a lot of you
dol) the winner of our MRS. VALENTINE CONTEST . . . can, of
course, have a credit of $200 towards any other G-E appliances
or TV that we have in stock ... Be sure you register tomorrow
at Home Appliance Company, 115 East Main Street . . .You may
be our MRS. VALENTINE . . . Register right awayl
Only
FULL PRICE $199.95
1957 MODEL SP-40-P
Leo Ghelardi Buys
Bearing Sales Company
Leo Ghglardi of Central Point !
has announced his purchase of
Southern Oregon Bearing Sales
company, 301 North Bartlett st.,
Medford, from George A. Shuler
of Medford.
Ghelardi took over ownership
of the establishment on Jan. 1.
He said the company will con
tinue to deal in bearings for au
tomotive and industrial use. One
additional employee has been
hired, Ghelardi said, but no oth
er immediate changes in the
company are planned.
SOUND EFFECTS
Trenton, N.J. (U.R) The
Trenton Symphony orohestra
needs the army for some sound
effects in its concert production
of the opera "Tosca." Maestro
Guglielmo Sabatini " said he'd
ask Fort Dix authorities to fire
blanks from a field artillery
piece and some rifles offstage.
Puccini's opera calls for cannon
fire during act one and rifle fire
in the final act.
Free! G-E 1957 "Mobile Maid"
given away Valentine's Day!
HOW YOU
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Easy-to-see, flexible, fingertip control dial lets
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Phone 2-837
o