THE ELUSIVE SASSAFRAS LbNA #32753
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Add Location| Owner: | N/A |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jul 8, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| City: | PORT CRANE |
| County: | Broome |
| State: | New York |
| Boxes: | 3 |
| Planted by: | O'Groovy
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|---|---|
| Found by: | Banjoman (3) |
| Last found: | Nov 6, 2010 |
| Status: | FFFFF |
| Last edited: | Jul 8, 2007 |
THE ELUSIVE SASSAFRAS TREE SERIES
(3 Boxes)By O‘GROOVY
“Sas ”, “Sas-Sa”,
and “Sas-Sa-Fras”
My favorite tree.
It is easy to identify by its three distinct leaf patterns on the same plant, i.e. unlobed oval (LETTERBOX: “SASS”); mitten-shaped (LETTERBOX: “SAS-SA”), and three pronged (LETTERBOX: “SAS-SA-FRAS”).
Essential oil distilled from the root-bark or the fruit was used as a fragrance in perfumes and soaps, food (sassafras tea and candy flavoring) and for aromatherapy.
The essential oil was also used as a pain killer as well as an antiseptic in dentistry. The smell of sassafras oil was said to make an excellent repellent for mosquitoes and other insects, which makes it a nice yard plant.
The root or root bark can be used to make tea. A yellow dye is obtained from the wood. The shoots may be used to make root beer which owed its characteristic odor to the sassafras extract. The leaves are used for thickening sauces and soups, and when dried and ground are known as filé powder, a spice used in Cajun, Creole, and other Louisiana cooking, such as the dish filé gumbo. The pith is used in the U.S. to soothe eye inflammation and ease catarrh. Acids can be extracted from bark for manufacturing perfumes. In the Fall the leaves change to brilliant reds and yellows.
From our early camping days at Chenango State Park, we remembered all the sassafras trees that were around. We had hoped to place our letter boxes among the sassafras trees and plants, but alas, we managed to find only one tiny pathetic specimen. We looked in high country, along roads, trails, and streams. Perhaps global warming is a cause.
NOW THE LETTERBOXES.
#1 SASS
Take the road past the pool and up into PINE BLUFF Camping area. Park there. From the CABIN COLONY 21-25 sign on the left of the road, go across the road and start counting paces (every time left foot touches the ground) along the right side of the road heading toward the golf course. When you reach 109 paces, look to the right and find a conjoined tree. From that tree take a 260 degree compass reading toward a small non distinctive birch tree (some rocks should be around the bottom of the tree). To the left about 18 inches should be the very small example of the ELUSIVE SASSAFRAS. From the Sassafras specimen walk toward a tree at 200 degrees. When you get there you, will see a youngster from another tree hugging the tree you saw from the Sassafras plant. Look under the youngster for Box #1 SASS. Return to your car or continue walking in the same direction (North)
#2 SAS-SA
Continue past the golf parking lot. When you reach a “pull off” on the right side across from a winding road sign (seen from the other direction), take 16 paces along the right side of the road from a line across from the sign, and you will find the last path heading toward the lake. 18 paces down the path will bring you to a fallen tree on the right with part of it imbedded in the trail. Where the fallen tree rests against the trunk of a maple tree, you will find Box #2 SAS-SA under some rocks. NO Sassafras here. If you have not gone back for your car, you better do it now because you are going to go past the TWEEN THE LAKES PICNIC AREA (on the left)
#3 SAS-SA-FRAS
Go past the Tween Lakes Shelter and bear right. At the next pull off, find the SERVICE ENTRANCE sign. Take 31 paces down the wide path and STOP! Look to the left and find a bird house (PALS, BOCES 2003). Stand in the middle of the trail even with the bird house and at 210 degrees find a triple trunked tree about 8 paces and you will find Box #3 SAS-SA-FRAS but NO sassafras here either.
Sorry about the lack of sassafras. Perhaps we should report this to Al Gore.
GOOD LUCK!
Ogroovy
(3 Boxes)By O‘GROOVY
“Sas ”, “Sas-Sa”,
and “Sas-Sa-Fras”
My favorite tree.
It is easy to identify by its three distinct leaf patterns on the same plant, i.e. unlobed oval (LETTERBOX: “SASS”); mitten-shaped (LETTERBOX: “SAS-SA”), and three pronged (LETTERBOX: “SAS-SA-FRAS”).
Essential oil distilled from the root-bark or the fruit was used as a fragrance in perfumes and soaps, food (sassafras tea and candy flavoring) and for aromatherapy.
The essential oil was also used as a pain killer as well as an antiseptic in dentistry. The smell of sassafras oil was said to make an excellent repellent for mosquitoes and other insects, which makes it a nice yard plant.
The root or root bark can be used to make tea. A yellow dye is obtained from the wood. The shoots may be used to make root beer which owed its characteristic odor to the sassafras extract. The leaves are used for thickening sauces and soups, and when dried and ground are known as filé powder, a spice used in Cajun, Creole, and other Louisiana cooking, such as the dish filé gumbo. The pith is used in the U.S. to soothe eye inflammation and ease catarrh. Acids can be extracted from bark for manufacturing perfumes. In the Fall the leaves change to brilliant reds and yellows.
From our early camping days at Chenango State Park, we remembered all the sassafras trees that were around. We had hoped to place our letter boxes among the sassafras trees and plants, but alas, we managed to find only one tiny pathetic specimen. We looked in high country, along roads, trails, and streams. Perhaps global warming is a cause.
NOW THE LETTERBOXES.
#1 SASS
Take the road past the pool and up into PINE BLUFF Camping area. Park there. From the CABIN COLONY 21-25 sign on the left of the road, go across the road and start counting paces (every time left foot touches the ground) along the right side of the road heading toward the golf course. When you reach 109 paces, look to the right and find a conjoined tree. From that tree take a 260 degree compass reading toward a small non distinctive birch tree (some rocks should be around the bottom of the tree). To the left about 18 inches should be the very small example of the ELUSIVE SASSAFRAS. From the Sassafras specimen walk toward a tree at 200 degrees. When you get there you, will see a youngster from another tree hugging the tree you saw from the Sassafras plant. Look under the youngster for Box #1 SASS. Return to your car or continue walking in the same direction (North)
#2 SAS-SA
Continue past the golf parking lot. When you reach a “pull off” on the right side across from a winding road sign (seen from the other direction), take 16 paces along the right side of the road from a line across from the sign, and you will find the last path heading toward the lake. 18 paces down the path will bring you to a fallen tree on the right with part of it imbedded in the trail. Where the fallen tree rests against the trunk of a maple tree, you will find Box #2 SAS-SA under some rocks. NO Sassafras here. If you have not gone back for your car, you better do it now because you are going to go past the TWEEN THE LAKES PICNIC AREA (on the left)
#3 SAS-SA-FRAS
Go past the Tween Lakes Shelter and bear right. At the next pull off, find the SERVICE ENTRANCE sign. Take 31 paces down the wide path and STOP! Look to the left and find a bird house (PALS, BOCES 2003). Stand in the middle of the trail even with the bird house and at 210 degrees find a triple trunked tree about 8 paces and you will find Box #3 SAS-SA-FRAS but NO sassafras here either.
Sorry about the lack of sassafras. Perhaps we should report this to Al Gore.
GOOD LUCK!
Ogroovy