ASHAQ HUSSAIN BHAT
GL TEACHER SCHOOL EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT JAMMU AND KASHMIR
Poem 6
WHAT DO WE PLANT
SUMMARY
The poet asks a very important question. He wants to know what do we plant when we plant the tree. He himself gives the answer. We actually plant the ship which will cross the sea.
We plant the mast in order to carry the sail of a ship. We also get the planks of the ship so that the ship can bear the fury of a storm or gale. By planting trees we get the keel, the keelson, the beam, the knee. We can say that we actually plant the ship when we plant the tree. We also plant the house for everybody.
By planting trees we plant rafters, the shingles, the floors, the studding, the lath, the doors, the beams and siding and all parts. We may say that we actually plant the house when we plant the tree.
By planting a tree we plant a thousand things that we see daily. We plant the churchspire that stands in the shape of a tower which is taller than the crag. When we plant the tree, we plant the staff for the country's flag, for shade from the hot sun.
TEXT-BASED EXERCISES
1. Answer these questions:
Q. 1. Would you agree with the poet that trees are mainly planted or the uses that he mentions? Are there other uses ?
Ans. The poet has mentioned the main uses of trees. They can be put to Maine other uses :
(i) They can be used for making medicines.
(ii) They can be used for making wooden bridges across small rivers and streams.
(iii) They can be used for making big boxes and containers.
Q. 2. Many uses can easily be met with other materials. Identify those uses where we can use other material (iron, for instance) and thus save the trees.
Ans. We can make uses of plastic for making furniture, containers and doors and masts. This way wood and trees can be saved.
Q. 3. What does the poet mean when he says, "We plant the house when we plant the tree"?
Ans. He means that we get house building materials from trees.
Q. 4. "We plant the shade, from the hot sun free." ,,
Ans. By planting trees, we get freedom from the heat of the sun. We have shade to keep ourselves cool.
Q. 5. How many times is the question: "What do we plant when we plant the tree," repeated in the poem? Why do you think the poet does this?"
Ans. It has been repeated thrice. The poet does this to emphasise the importance of planting trees.
Q. 6. What will happen if we keep on only using the trees ?
Ans. The world will become a barren place. There will be no rain. There will be pollution everywhere.
Q. 7. Are there uses of trees that do not occur in Kashmir or in Jammu
Ans. Trees in Jammu and Kashmir are put to all the uses to which they are put else where .they could be a difference of degree in use
USING WORDS
Add three more words of your own to each row that rhyme with the words given :
(i) tree, three, we .........
(ii) ship, tip, lip
(iii) you, due, chew........
(iv) shade, made, fade........
(v) parts, carts, charts.........
Ans.
(i) sea, knee, me
(ii) grip, dip, sip
(iii) do, few, drew
(iv) fade, bade, grade
(v) starts, marts, tarts
LET'S TALK
Chinar trees, the symbol of Kashmir's beauty, have been indiscriminately cut in the recent years. Choose a partner and tell him/her why the Chinar is important in Kashmir, and what will happen if we continue cutting down these trees ? Also, list five local trees with the help of your partner, and describe their main uses.
Ans.
Basheer: What is the benefit from Chinar trees in Kashmir'?
Asif: Chinar trees, are flowering trees. They add to the beauty of roads along which they grow. They also purify the environment. If these, trees are cut, the beauty of Kashmir will be much reduced.
Basheer: Can you tell me the names of five local trees?
Ans. They are pine, deodar, fir, kail, peepul and mango trees.
Munir: To what use are these trees put ?
Ans. They are used for making furniture. Deodár, kail, fir and pine trees are used for making furniture and also for constructing buildings.
LET'S WRITE
There is a famous saying attributed to a sufi-saint in Kashmir, Nunda Rishi of Charari Sharief. He said: 'an poshi teli yeli wan poshi' (food will last if forests last). Another saying is: 'One tree is equal to hundred sons. In a paragraph explain the significance of this statement in the present times. You can write
* Why forests are important in our life?
*What bad effects the cutting of trees has had on climate ?
* What should we do to protect our forests?
*What role can schools play in making people aware of the importance of forests and trees?
* End your paragraph with this Chinese proverb:
"If you are planning for a year, plant rice.
If you are planning for a hundred years, plant a tree.
If you are planning for a thousand years, plant forests.""
Ans. Our forests are useful in many ways. They are an important source of fuel. They provide grass, hay and fodder for our cattle. They produce many kinds of timber like teak, pine, deodar and chir. Timber is used for making household furniture and railway carriages. Paper, rubber, matches and sports goods are made from the forests. Animal products, like honey, ivory and bee-wax are obtained from forests.
Forests help to preserve the fertility of the soil. The trees suck up ground water from below. Their leaves give out the water as moisture in the air. The climate of the surrounding areas becomes mild. If forests are cut down in a country, it may become a desert.
Forests prevent soil erosion. They break the force of the fast flowing rain water. Forests reduce the danger of floods. Forests provide a home for wild animals. Some people go to forests for peace.
Trees are also of great importance. They are man's friends. They have stood by us through thick and thin. They have provided us with food and fuel and met many of our great demands. They serve humanity in many ways. They provide us medicinal herbs. They give us raw material for a variety of products. They keep the environment clean, healthy and fresh. They take away carbon dioxide and supply us the life-giving oxygen. If all the trees are cut, the eco-balance will be disturbed. This will threaten man's existence. The cutting down of trees is a bad act. It is like cutting one's own legs and digging one's own grave. Trees are the lungs of the world. Without trees all kinds of life are bound to perish. The very survival of our people depends on planting trees.
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