May 12, 1963 - Dogwood - Spring and Fall
Dogwood — Spring and Fall
Exclusive Sunday Review sketch by Dennis Puleston of Brookhaven
Focus on Nature by Paul Stoutenburgh, Cutchogue
This is a busy season for all
of Nature's many wonders. Every-
where there's the sign of n e w
life and vigor. Surely the impres-
sive list of observations at the
end' of this article will vouch for
the influx of spring birds. Like-
wise, the many widiflowers blos-
soming throughout our woods, so
adequately described in Carolyn
Marshall's two recent articles,
prove beyond a doubt that spring
is here. Yet I am sure some of
our readers will miss these mdes-
eengers of spring because they
must be sought out to be seen.
The flowering dogwood, on the
other hand, is one sight all read-
ers will see and appreciate this
year. It doesn't matter whether
you are inside or out for some-
where within eyesight of your
house this handsome f l o w e ring
tree can usually be seen. Whether
it's in the woods or on a neigh-
bor's lawn it will be there doing
its part to herald the coming of
spring.
This is not only true of us here
on Long Island b u t probably
true of everyone along the entire
eastern seaboard from Canada to
Florida. Horticulturally, the dog-
wood has become the number one
flowering tree in the c o u n t r y.
It is native to this area and is
easily transplanted.
The two handsome trees we
have on our lawn and the others
sprinkled throughout our woods
came from nearby woodlands.
This trick of utilizing the surplus
from these areas would be worth
everyone's while to undertake.
How to go about this is v e r y
simple, Whenever I see a new
house, road or development going
up and woodlands being cleared
I ask permission from the owner
or builder to remove any valuable
trees, plants, or shrubs that ¢night
be in their way. As a .matter of
fact, I have often had the bull-
dozer operator gladly help me
push out a particular specimen
to shorten my work. Usually the
reply from the operator is,
"That's okay. I'd rather see some-
one enjoy them than to see them
p'o:; :d uncle:-." It is surprising
how many clumps of arbutus,
ferns, r'.ododcndron. I�+r.-el and
trees are sprinkled about our
place from just such rescue work.
For those of you who are not
as brazen and prefer to do your
own propagating, the gathering
of the red dogwood fruits in the
fall prove equally rewarding. I
say this gathering in the fall be-
cause another asset of the dog-
wood is its ample supply of ber-
ries for our winter wildlife. • It
these are taken and, p l a n t e d
about 1/4 "..below the surface, n.
early April, this will usually do
the trick. The dogwood is fast
growing and if put out in the
open sun on good soil should pro-
duce flowers in six to eight years
from seed. Hidden by shade it
may take considerably longer
and in many cases, of which I
have one, they may never pro-
duce under a heavy canopy of
other trees. Good soil, sunlight
and water are the requirements
for the flowering dogwood. To-
day, as in years gone by, the
wood of the dogwood is s t i I l
sought after because of its ex-
tremely hard and fine grain. It
finds its use in many items
such as golf clubs, tooth picks,
and probably most important of
all in the shuttles and bobbins
used for weaving.
Part of the enjoyment we get
from knowing about the in any
things around us in the interesting
and unusual legends and folklores
connected with them. I always
associate with the dogwood the
legend' that tells about this tree
being the one selected to bear
Christ when he was crucified. At
that time it was said the dogwood
grew straight and strong a n d
equalled the mighty oak. Because
it was seileated, however, it be-
came very despondent and low
but Christ, being the understand-
ing person he was, comforted the
tree by telling it he would see
that it would never have to be
used again for such a purpose.
And so from that day on the
t r^ v ,-as t, an;formedinto the twist-
ed slender tree we know it as
today. It was given pure white
flowers in the form of a cross as
a momento of the part it played
in the Crucifixion and the _ ends
of the petals were to be darkly
stained to resemble nail prints
while the inner cluster or flowers
suggests the throned crown that
Christ last wore. These markings
were to act as a reminder that
Christ died for ail on the cross.
Right now as I am writing this
article, the dogwood all about are
just starting to reach their peak,
by Sunday the bracts, which are
not really the flowers at all, will
have fully reached their prime.
Everywhere in our woods we have
these bursts of white and like a
properly placed jewel on a beau-
tiful woman, the dogwood adds
that certain elegance and charm
to our-spring dray. J
FIELD OBSERVATIONS
Mr and Mrs John Seaman report: i
Brecknock Farm, Greenport
—April 28
Cattle Egret
Waltekr MacNish and Ben Butler
report: Plum Island — May 7
Mockingbird (2) -
Ruth Porter reports:
Moriches — April 22
Woodcock (5)
April 27
Cormorant (7)
May 1
Black Skimmers (125}
May 3
Baltimore Oriole
J Bennett, J Ba :,, ey and P Stouten-
burgh report: Greenport —May 5
Blue -gray Gnatcatcher
Cattle Egret
Black and White Warbler
Crested Flycatcher
Ovenbird
Broad - winged Hawk (pair)
House Wren
Yellow Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Green winged Teal
Spotted Sandpiper (2)
Dennis Puleston reports:
Shinneeock May I
Spotted Sandpiper
Brookhaven
Whip -poor -will
Yaphank — May 2
Broad�winged Hawk (nesting)
Blue-winged Teal (9)
Brookhaven
American Bittern (2)
Brookhaven — May 3
House Wren
Yap'sanl: —' May 4
Baltimore Oriole
Solitary Sandpiper
Blue-winged Warbler (5)
Yellow Warbler (3)
Northern Water- Thursh
Snowy Egret
Worm - eating Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Parula Warbler (10)
Yelknvthroat
Hummingbird
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler (2)
Magnolia Warbler
Blaokburnian Warbler
Black- throated Green Warbler
Redstart
Rusty Blackbird (2)
Roosevelt Estate, Sayville
Little Blue Heron
Magnolia Warbler (2)
Prairie Warbler (3)
Yellow- throated Vireo (2)
'Blue-headed Vireo
Black - throated Blue Warbler