Once again, it’s time for MrsT’s quizzes to branch out and spread their roots, and this round... you’ve guessed it, its trees! They help regulate our climate and provide food and shelter for a whole host of animals as well as providing us with a variety of resources, we might otherwise take for granted. Let’s face it, what wood (pun intended) the world be without trees? They come in all shapes and sizes, as do the leaves and fruit that they bare and yes, I was one of those kids who loved the school trip to Westonbirt Arboretum. For the next 12 weeks, I will leaf you with a clue or two about trees for you to mulch over.EnjoyMYSTERY TREE QUIZ #3Clue: Soft, strong and very long.
watch out for a mad man with Honda petrol driven chainsaw
ME
Ray
a good laugh is better than a tonic
Congratulations to all of you who guessed Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Let’s start with the clues! First clue: Soft, strong and very long. As a softwood, the Scots pine is undoubtedly the strongest. The inner bark of the Scots pine is used in the manufacture of rope, which as we know can be ‘very long’. The second clue: It’s a gas for Soichiro. Resin from the Scots pine tree can be used to make the substance turpentine. In addition to making solvents and varnishes, turpentine can also be used as fuel. As gasoline (gas) was unavailable after World War II, the Japanese engineer Soichiro Honda in 1946, used turpentine in his first Honda motorcycles.
One of three native conifers to the UK, the Scots pine is best suited to Heathland and is often grown for timber. A mature tree can grow up to 35 metres and can live up to 700 years. Both male and female flowers can grow on the same tree; female flowers turn green and form cones. Scots pine have blue-green twisted needle-like leaves. These magnificent trees once provided windbreaks around farmsteads and were planted along old droveways to help direct travellers during bad weather.
A picture of a Scots pine tree is found here.
Did you know that: you can make dye from Scots pine cones!
Keep an eye out for next week’s Mystery tree quiz here soon!
Take care,
Claire
Congrats Wendy - spot on :) !!
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Regards, Hazel
Well done, Wendy. You were on it from the start and very clever to make the link to Mr Honda.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Well done Wendy! I was a million miles away as usual! ;-)
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
well done Wendy
at least treefellars failed to get it
Wow, so pleased to have nailed one but all credit to BW for the Honda link, after that I was just lucky to have beaten her to it!! Lol
Quite nice feeling to be basking in glory though....just like when I can solve the last vital word in OH cryptic crossword that he can't fathom (have often sent 'crowing' text to him at work & his answer is always 'I hate clever kids') tis all good fun though!!!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Well done Wendy,I like many others had no idea on this one,MrsT at her craftiest keeping our grey matter working.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Unknown said: well done Wendy at least treefellars failed to get it Ray
Well done Wendy. I am loving the fact that so many of us are coming up with different trees - always educational
C in J
Cin J