History can be vague to a first

grader, or for that matter to anyone who struggles to understand events

of another era.

Maybe that's why the concept

of time travel is so appealing, but we can't travel backwards through

time. Messengers from the past, however, may bring us living history to

see and touch.

American Forests, described

as the oldest nonprofit citizens' conservation organization in the U.S.,

has been doing exactly that since 1875 through its Historic Tree Nursery.

Seedlings generated from trees with historic significance can offer a

tangible link between past and present.

As though reaching, alive,

through the pages of history, comes a descendant of the last tree certified

to have been planted by the legendary Johnny Appleseed. Andy's Nursery,

in Fayetteville, donated the seedling.

Cecie Cate, a first grader

in Amy Huntley's class, helped plant the tiny apple tree at Fayetteville

Elementary School on Hood Avenue.

Cecie's dad, the aptly named

Forrest Cate, is with Andy's Nursery. He said that when his daughter's

class was studying Johnny Appleseed, he believed it might help bring the

mystical itinerant to life if the kids "had something tangible in

their hands."

"They also might develop

an interest in horticulture," he added slyly.

American Forests' mission is

"to identify, preserve and protect trees with American heritage,"

and the group urges people to purchase or nominate historic trees, "to

help keep history alive while bringing beauty and shade to your home,

schools and community."

The program would receive highest

accolades from Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman in Leominster, Mass.,

in 1774. A deeply religious man, he conceived the idea of planting trees

to provide food for settlers as the frontier pushed westward. Apple trees

in particular appealed to him because they are easy to propagate and would

provide fruit, cider, butter, vinegar and applejack.

Chapman lived simply, preferred

the outdoors, carried no weapons and usually slept on the ground. He was

respected by settlers and Indians alike. He walked barefoot, and legend

has it that he was unaffected when a rattlesnake tried to bite him but

could not penetrate the wanderer's tough sole.

Forget any image you have of

Johnny Appleseed scattering seeds as he walked. He prepared the ground,

often purchasing land himself, and planted orchards, surrounding them

with crude fences to protect them from predators. He returned systematically

to prune them, and sold young trees by the thousands. He let purchasers

pay what and when they could because what mattered to him was not money

but the distribution of his trees.

In all, it is estimated that

he planted apple orchards in the wilderness of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky,

Illinois and Indiana, spanning 100,000 square miles. Some of these trees

still bear fruit after 150 years.

When Chapman died near Fort

Wayne, Ind., in 1884, he was by no means an impoverished nomad. He owned

large amounts of property ­ most of it covered with apple trees.

His life and travels were well

documented. A sister lived in Ashland County, Ohio, and he visited her

often. He planted an orchard of his favorite Rambos there, and one tree

survives to this day, still bearing fruit. A storm in 1996 nearly toppled

it, but the family, aware of their heritage, had already contacted Historic

Trees in 1994. So that future generations may benefit from Chapman's vision,

the company took cuttings and individually grafted them onto apple stock.

The result: grown offspring genetically identical to John's ancient tree.

Learn more about American Forests:

American Forests' Historic Tree Nursery, 8701 Old Kings Rd., Jacksonville,

FL 32219; 1-800-320-TREE (8733); www.historictrees.org

And about Johnny Appleseed

at: www.ccmr.cornell.edu/~weeds/schoolpages/appleseed /welcome

and www.jappleseed.org/history.html .

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