The cone of Pseudotsuga taxifolia hangs down.
Western White Pine cones are pitchy. They are green but soon turn brown.
The Hemlock cones are numerous, and little as can be,
While True Fir cones stand upright on the branches of the tree.
The Western or Red Cedar cone is also very small.
The Chameocyparis's cone's a funny, little ball.
The Yew tree doesn't have a cone, the botanists repeat.
Its fruit is like a berry; is red and very neat.
The conifers have cones it seems to propogate the race,
But squirrels think that they are made to exercise the face.
They use them, too, for baseballs, and in their daily diet.
If you wonder what they taste like, take an artichoke
and fry it.
But cones have other uses not intended by the tree.
They make delightful ornaments as you can plainly see.
They give the learned botanists some grounds to fight about,
And they help us to identify the trees, without a doubt.
Natt Dodge, Ranger-Naturalist
Season 1932.
