Kathy Nimmo, age 11, of Monroe, Iowa, for her questions

What is a sassafras tree?

The sassafras tree grows in the eastern states and in the Southland. Its green leaves change color in the fall and add patches of deep orange and blazing red to the woods and roadsides. When the leaves fall, they leave behind a small, dark purple fruit which provides winter food for the birds. Quail are especially fond of sassafras berries.

There is a tangy smell and taste to almost everything about the sassafras tree. In days gem. by, its roots were: dug up washed and dried to make sassafras tea. This tasty brew was supposed to be a healthful tonic, which may or may not be true. The Indians enjoyed the tangy flavor by chewing the young green shoots in the spring, To them, the sassafras tree was known as the green stick tree.