A TREE PUZZLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 307, 28 December 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

A TREE PUZZLE.

A gentleman who, had a fine park found one day that a storm during the previous night had blown down a number of his trees, and so he telegraphed to a nurseryman to send down twentyfour young trees that might be planted in place of those which had been destroyed. "When the tree? came, the gentleman told his gardener that he wanted the twenty-four trees planted in such a way that there would be twenty-eight rows, each containing four trees- in a straight line. The gardener thought the gentleman had made a mistake in the number of rows, so he asked him again how the trees were to be planted. The gentleman repeated that he wanted twentyeight rows of four trees each, and the gardener told his &a?ter that this was impossible with twenty-four trees. "Come into my study," said the gentleman, "and I will draw a plan for you, and you will see exactly how I want the trees to stand. It is quite easy to get twentj-eignt rows with only four trees in each row." The gardener followed the gentleman to the study, and in a moment or two the gentleman had drawn hi? plan, when the gardener owned that the task which at first had seemed quite impossible to him was very plain and simple. How were the trees planted? SOLUTION. Although it had at first seemed to the gardener quite impossible that twenty-four trees could be planted in such a way as to make twenty-eight rows, with four trees in each, and these in a straight line, yet the gentleman about whom we read elsewhere was soon able to show that this was no impossibility at all, but in fact quite an easy matter. He drew a plan which showed exactly how the trees might be placed so as to fulfil the conditions that he nad laid down, and this plan, which the gardener Usvd and followed in carrying out his master's orders, is given here

so that we may see the maimer in which the trees were planted. It will be noticed, however, that the rows do not stand one after another like a regiment of soldiers on parade, but that was not required, and, of course, with only twenty-four trees, it would be impossible to plant the rows jn that way. But there are, neverthelessj twenty-eight rows, each containing four trees in a straight .-line, and the gentleman drew the lines of each row 5n his plan for the guidance of his gardener so that there might be no difficulty* about the planting of* the trees according to his special instructions. THIS ADVERTISING. A butcher, walking down the street, passed a dairy, and read this sign: "Milk from Contented Cows." He was impressed by the idea, 7 and next morning displayed this sign: "Sausages from Pigs that Died Happy." j SOWWWIIIBIWWOMMWO* 1 "