Kyle Peterson, age 10, of Sioux City, Iowa, for his question:

IS THE HEDGE APPLE EDIBLE?

The fruit looks somewhat like an apple or an orange. But please do not try to eat it. The hedge apple plant is a medium size tree, also called the Osage orange. It was found growing in the territory of the Osage Indians  in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The pioneers planted it around their fields as a living fence.

Though the hedge apple fruits are not edible, there are other nice things to be said for the thorny little tree. Its pale yellowish wood is very hard, long lasting and somewhat bendable. The pioneers used it to make hard working wagon wheels. The Indians used it to make hefty clubs and springy bows for their arrows.