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Forms to be Filled out for Each Interview
FORM A
Circumstances of Interview
New York
STATE
Earl Bowman
NAME OF WORKER
ADDRESS
July SOO, 1939
DATE
SUBJECT
86 West 12th. Street
"Nell, Bob Ant No Planted tNets
1. Date and time of interview
2. Place of interview
3. Name and address of informant
4. Name and address of person, if any, who ut you in
touch wi..th informant.
5. Name and address
prson, if any, ac(:olnipaninp.-, you
6. Description of r)om, house, surroundinE],,,
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
(Use as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms,
each bearing the proper heading and the number to which the material
refers.)
STATE
New York
FORM C
TEXT OF INTERVIEW UNED TED)
NAYE OF WORKER Earl Bowman
ADDRESS
DA TE
SUBJECT
86 West 12th Street
July 20, 1939
"Hell, Bob Ant Me Planted Ile
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
"We were camped by a little trout stream that
out its way through the rich mountain soil just off
the low divide between Price Valley and Balloon Meadows
when my Uncle Steve Robertson told me the "trues story
of the 'Big Trees' of California, and how they happened
to be so big.
"All around us was a park...libp forest of stately
Idaho Yellow Pines, their three, tow, even five-foot
trunks straight and smooth and limbless for thirty feet
or more, their Grains towering into the sky a hundred
or a hundred and fifty feet.
'Gee, Uncle Steve, thereto sure some wonderful
timber in this part of Idaho, isn't there?' I said.
"Just look at those trees, why one of yea must have
lumber enough in it to almost build a house. Gosh
they're big. But beside some trees saw in California
ono*, these Idaho pines, big and grand as they are would
only be fsaplinle.0 'Sequoias,' they call those big tress
in California and some of them must be thirty-five or forty
feet in diameter. They 're supposed to be thousands of
years old and they probably are because it would take a
tree a hell of a long tin* to grow as big as those California
'Sequoias' are. They're 'Whoppers,' no doubt about that.'
'Yeah, I-Gawd,' my Male Stove Robertson said, 'they
probably are whoppers by this time, I ain't sayinl they
ain't. In fact they couldn't be nothint else but big,
considerint what they was fertilised with. Yeah, they sure
as hell was fertilised ant to such a extent, I-Gawd„ they
jest couldn't help growinl as big as they be an' moreln
likely they'll be a hell of a sight bigger 'fore they quit
growinl.
'But when it comes to them California big tress beim'
thousands of years old, like you said, or even balm' 'Sequoias,'
I-Clawd that's jest some smart -aleck's idea.
'Probably some feller that didn't know nothinl about
trees an' timber an' things like that wanted to show off
ant told people they was 'Sequoias' an' they was 'thousands
of year. old,' an' I-Gawd like damned fools people believe
it. But that's thl way people is, most of 'em believe any
danged thing they hear without takin' th' trouble to git at
the bottom of things and find out fbr theirselves whether
its so or not.
'An' that's the way it is with them big trees in
Californyt They ain't no thousands of years old an' they
ain't no cussed 'Sequoias'.-- They're lest plain damned
Arkansas cedar trees, an' they like a hell of a lot of
beine any older probably than these Idaho yeller pines is,
an also they was joat as much esaplinese meet as any
other doggone trees ever was.
*Yeah, I-Oawd, I ought to know, 'cause-- B*114 Bob
White an' me planted lent
'Course we didn't realize what we was startine *hen
we planted the damned things or we never eould a -don* it
in the first place.
*But us Pioneers of the Par West in the early days
probably made mistakes owlet in a while like everebody else
does, but one thing about it, when we did make any damned
mistake ant found out we'd made one, I-Oawd we didn't keep
on makine it jest for pure contrariness like lots of people
does nom -a -days.
*Yeah, I-Oawd, Bob an' me made a hell of a mistake
when we planted them big Californy trees in the first place.
But, our mistake wasn't in jest planted 'am so nue& probably
as in where we planted th, damned things.
11/f we'd had any idea that the damned things was
goin" to be fertilized with, we'd never a -planted tem to
start with...I-Oawd we sure as hell wouldn't have.
°But we planted 'em ant after tht damned things
got started to growint they wasn't no chance on earth to
do nothint about it but jest let 'em grow--anl /-Gawd you
see *hat happonedt at we thought was goint to be jest a
nice, comfortable Arkansas cedar grove turned into a
regular cussed wilderness of 'big trees' that nobody can
do a doggone thing with only jest let 'em grow an' grow
until Gawd knows how damned big they'll be 'fore they quit
growinf--
"Yeah, that's Uat may it is, ant that's tht way it
usually is, people start ONMS damned thing an then X-Gaird
they find out they've made a hell of a mistake but they
can't stop iti
"...Bob ant me planted them big Californy trees tht
tie we was gittint out of tht Arisony country after thy
hot spell that petrified all them damned buzzards, at ceterry.
"When we got up in tht Californy country-- After weld
stopped that time out in thl Mojave desert where we staked
down that damn floatin' lake, r told you about oncet, well,
we come to that valley where them big trees is *Wit looked
like it might be a hall of a good place to start a ranch.
It was smooth ant nice lookint land but there wasn't a downed
thing growint on it-- Jest smooth, rich lookint soil.
"So, Nam, (she was Bob's wife) said: 'Bob White, ant
you too* Steve Robertson, if I know anything about tht
looks of lands this would be a hell of a good place to stake
out a ranch an" settle down. Ilium,' Mam says, 'they's a
heck of a lot of Pluto Injuns in this section, 'cause we've
seen 'am, but in spite of that that land looks like things
would grow on it ant I'm tired of movint 'round. So, I** in
favor of stoppint right here ant otartint a ranch. If Its
any jedge of riah lands this lard in tht richest clanged land
I ever seen in my life, even if it is kind of funny lookint,t
Alm said,
"Well, Bob ant *led sort of set our minds on gittint
up into this Idaho country, but Bob always was considerate
of lam amt tried to do whatever she wanted him to do, 'cause
be wanted her to be as happy as she could, knowint like be
did that it was bard enough life them women -Pioneers like
Nam was, had to live anyhow without contraryint them any
•moretn was neoessary.
"So, Bob said: 'Parts I'm concerned Ram, I'd jest as
soon stop here ant start a ranch as not if you think you'd
be contented here, lam. 'Cause I sure as hell want you to
be contented, Ram rut, I-Gawd, they ain't no trees ant
you know dawned yell you was always a great hand for trees
Ant what tht hell will we do about that? Ant also, tht
surroundint acuntryts full of them cussed Pluto Injuns—we
know it is 'cause we've seen tem alnost steady ever since
we got up into this section, ant Piute /njuns ain't very
dunned nice neighbors. What'd you think about it, Steve?
Bob said.
*Personally, it don't mike no difference to meal I
said, 'As far as Pints Injuns being plentyful in ooncerneed,
I'd jest as soon have Ptutes as any other cussed kind of
Injuns for neighbors and regarding starting a ranch here,
/Id jest as soon start it here as anyplace else, so I don't
give a damn either direction," said.
*That's perfectly elrigit.„ Bob White, an' you too,
Steve Robertson,' Nam said, *I've thought about all that.
An' as far as Pints Injuns is concerned, you notice that
even if the general country does seem like it's full of gem,
you notice they ain't none of gem hanging around this
imedjiate neighborhood. So, I calculate they won't bother
much. An' regarding they not bein" no trees growing, that
can be fixed clanged easy 'cause I got a *hole sack full of
Arkansas red cedar tree seed picked often that cedar tree
in our front yard in Arkansas 'fore we started migrating to
thg Par West* All we got to do is plant tem Arkansas cedar
tree seed ant if that soil's as rich as it 'pears to be we'll
soon have a nice grove of cedar tress, which will be a good
place for thg chickens I'm aiming to raise to wailer under
in thg dust* Thg smell of thg cedar trees will also help
keep thg mites an' lice from worrying thg chickens to death,'
Nam said.
"Well, I-aawd that's th' way it started*
*Jest to please lam an' keep her contented, Bob an'
me took that sack full of Arkansas red cedar tree seed an'
planted thg whole cussed works, figgering that maybe acme
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of em wouldn't grow, but we planted tem all SD Mam would
be sure to have a ceder grove for her chickens to wailer
under in tht dust...
"Yeah, Bob ant me planted evert cussed cedar tree
seed Main had. brought from Arkansas, never realizint 1 -Gard
how rich ant fertilized that damned land was, mnt tht Whole
works come up l Evert demreJ seed... Hell yes, we hadn't
hardly got th/ last of 'en planted when tht ones- we planted
first was already up ant growint to beat hell!,
"Yes, sir, /-Gawd, you never saw nothInt come up as
prompt as them damned Arkansas red cedar tree seed done.
It seemed like that soil jest squirted 'em right up...
"Gawd-a-mighty," Bob said, 'I never seen nothint
like it in my life. This whole district must a -been a
old sheep corral or somethint oncet for tht soil to be as
fertilized az.. it 1st' Bob said.
"No damned Sheep manure ever made things 'row like
the cedar tree seed's 7rowint,t I said. "T-Gawd, no.
Sheep manure's a powerful fertilizer but it ain't powerful
enough to make thin7s prow that a -way. Whatever this lands
fertilized with is a hell of a sight powerfuler than any
cussed sheep manure.' I said.
"Mem, she was tickled as hell. 'I told you, Bob
White, ant you too Steve Robertson, that this was tht
richest dang land anybody ever seen, an now I reckon you'll
believe me. It won't be no tie now till we'll have a nice
cedar tree grove for me to watch tit chickens wailer in tht
dust under ant to hang my washint on when math days
comes.' Mani said.
"Well, I-Gawd, Mam was plumb right...
*Yeah, she was right as hell. Bob ant ma finished
plantinl them damned Alice:nests cedar tree seeds on Friday
no, I-Olawd, it was on a Thursday, yeah, Thursday about
a hour before sundown, I don't want to stretch things
none cause I sure bate a damned liar or 'xaggerater--
an by th' next Monday them cussed cedar trees was pp
ant jest about tall enough for lam to spread her washint
on (Monday was always Mam's washday.)
"Its a pleasure to have cedar trees to spread
my washin' out on,' lam said, lit makes me third( of how
I used to spread things out on our cedar trees back in
Al,kansas...1
"Well, lam didn't git her washinl out till late,
plumb near sundown, so they wasn't dry enough to take
in that night ant she had to leave 'am out till till
next day. An' I-Gawd„ that's Where Mam got a surprise:
Th' next mornin' them damned cedar trees had greyed so
fast that Bob's ant my shirts ant drawers an' Mam's
'Mother Hubbards' ant aprons an' night-gowns an' et
cetery was pp so cussed high the couldn't reach tem.
"Bob ant me had a hell of a time climbin" than
clanged trees fast enough to ketch up with 'em ant git
'em dawn for her. An' we never did git one of Bob's
310X which lam had hung plumb on top of one of 'em--
I-Gawd, we never did git it ant far as I know th' damned
thing's still up there flutterinl from a limb on top of
one of them doggone trees. (Yeah, it probably int) Bob
cussed awful on account of th' blisters he got on his
foot that didn't have no sock on it when he had to go
around wearin' jest one sock While lam had his other
pair in till wash.
"Hell, I don't reckon there ever was anything
growed faster'n them cussed cedar trees that people
that don't know anything about it calls them 'Sequoias,'
like you said...
"Yes, sir, I-Gawd, some of itam's chickens managed
to climb up in one of 'em one night to roost in it ant
till next mornint them damned chickens was up so high
that when they tried to jump dawn out of it practically
ever' one of 'elm busted a leg when they hit th' ground
It was pityful as hell to see them poor doggone chickens
tryint to stand on thl only good leg they had ant scratch
.with it at thl same timet
"It was plumb unnatcheral how fast ant how cussed
big them trees growed.
"I'd like to know what th' hell this soil's
fertilised with,' Bob said. I-Gawd, I never seen nothint
like it-- For two cents I'd plant some watermelon seeds
an' see jest how damned big watermelons this ground
would raise anyhowt'
"You'll do do no sech a cussed thing," Mam said, ant
put her foot right down on it, 'if this ground works on
watermelons like it does on them cedar trees, I-Gawd*
an' th' watermelons growed in proportion* by th' time
they was ripe they'd be so cussed big that if th'
lightint struck one ant busted it ant knocked th' water
out of it it would flood th' *hole danged country Z No,
sir, Bob White an? you too Steve Robertson, jest keep
them watermelon seeds out of this doggone soil, we ain't
goint to take no chances like that,' Mem said.
"Probably you're right, Mem,' Bob said, 'that's
jest about what would happen, but I-Gawd, I'd sure as
hell like to know what this damned section of Californyts
fertilized with, anyhow,' Bob said.
*Well, sir, I-Gawd th' very next day I found out
what was makin? them dcymone Arkansas red cedar trees
Bob ant me had started growint in that Californy soil
act th' way they did...
"A old Piute Injun Chief I knowed come along ant
when he saw all them damned trees growint where they was
he started howlin' ant wailint like his heart was pluMb
broke. Natdherally, I asked him what th' hell was th'
matter ('cause while I ain't never mentioned it, I can
talk Piute jest like a native.) Ant besides I'd give
till old chief a sack of smokint tobacco oncet ant we
was good friends, so he told me...
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"For millions of years th' damned Piutes had been
cominl for miles around ant bringinl any doggone Flute
that was dead to bury him in that special part of
Californy; from what th' old chief said it was th/ only
damned spot in Californy that was easy diggin/, th/ rest
of it beint hard an/ gravelly, 30 for millions ant minions
of years they'd been nlantint dead Flutes on that same
doggone spot% I-Gawd, th' whole damned country was under-
laid with dead Piutes an/ anybody that knows anything
about dead Piutes knows that a dead Piute is till strongest
cussed fertilizer they 1st
"Hell, yes, dead Piutes is richer fertilizer than
any damned sheep manure or any other kind of doggone
manure they is... Things planted where th' soil is
fertilized with dead ?lutes jest can't keep from growin,
ant I-Gawd When it oncet starts to growint they ain't
nothint nobody can do about it only jest let it keep on
growinl... So that's th/ way it was.
"ptcherally, when Mam found out they wattn't no
doggone way to keep then damned Arkansas cedar trees
from growth' till they'd exhausted all th/ Piute /njun
fertilizer they was planted in, or till they finally died
from old age, or got so big the: covered th' whole danged
country, I-Gawd, she saw how foolish it would be to try
to start a rarch there, so she said:
"Bob Mite, an you too, Steve Robertson,' weld
jest as well hitch th/ mules up an/ git out of this
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cussed neighborhood... I can stand /most ever/thing but
rem drawint thl line at livin' Where th/ whole country's
saturated with dead Piute Injuns. But they sure as heck
are strong fertilizer, ain't they?' Man said.
"Well, Bob ant me hitched up th/ mules ant we
headed on up to this Idaho country where thl soil's
good ant rich but not too damned rich...ant things grow
natcheral ant normal an/ like Natchure aimed for lam to
grow in Val first place.
"But, I-Gawd that's the way them /big trees/
(Sequoias) (some damned fools call 'em) happened to be
there in thl first place an/ how they happen to be so
cussed big-- They Gantt help growint an/ can't help
beim/ big...fertilized like they be with dead Piute
Injuns... Ant I-Gawd if anybody don't believe it all
they got to do is dig one of am up ant see for their
selves if thl cussed thing ain't beint fertilized with
dead Piute Injuna...
"Hell, I ought to know, Bob ant me planted /am&
ED