Dr. Wadsworth Trees

It is told that a Dr. Wadsworth, reportedly from the western area of upstate NY, was a strong proponent of leaving trees strategically in the middle of cleared crop fields. Presumably a veterinarian, he championed this cause far and wide in order that these trees would provide shade from the hot sun for the teams of horses working the land. I have only anecdotal evidence of this but was encouraged to find at least one reference on the internet despite an exhaustive search. The sole evidence? This photo entitled "Dr. Wadsworth Tree" on display in the George Eastman House museum by photographer John Pfahl, taken in Chautauqua County, NY, 1999, lends credence to this story. Apparently, the trees have come to be known as Dr. Wadsworth trees.

We have several large mature trees in the middle of the big field behind our house. I always assumed that they just grew there from an existing rock pile. After hearing this story I began to wonder, could these trees be Dr. Wadsworth trees? I think so. I find it totally plausible that when the settlers cleared this land, they left these trees on purpose. The advanced age (and size) of the trees suggest this is possible and there seems to be no other agronomical purpose for not having removed these trees when the rest of the field was cleared.

Regardless, they continue to serve the same purpose, though I wouldn’t call me a horse. While brush hogging this summer, the seeds from the mature grasses would eventually build up on the radiator of the tractor, causing it to overheat. So I would pull under the shade of one of my own Dr. Wadsworth trees, shut off the tractor, clear the radiator, and the Ford and I would cool off for a few minutes. Dr. Wadsworth trees, a very humanitarian idea indeed.