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From the always entertaining (though sometimes cringe-inducing) Fail Blog.

See also Homework fail.

I have a vague recollection from grad school days about a frat getting busted with a 25-foot evergreen in their foyer that they sent the pledges out to harvest from the local arboretum about this time of the year.

Almost happened again. Only no one was busted and the $3,800 tree is dead now.

Long story short, some Christmas-tree seeker took a hatchet and cut down a nearly 40-year-old Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii) on Cornell Plantations grounds, hauled it to the roadside, and abandoned it there.

To prevent such thefts and vandalism, Cornell Plantations staff mix up a concoction of lime, Wilt-pruf and food coloring to spray on tempting trees that turns them pink for a few weeks during prime tree-rustling season. (Picture above. Find the recipe in this ’97 Cornell Chronicle article.) Unfortunately, they hadn’t yet treated this tree.

Here’s the news release about this year’s tragedy:

Cornell Plantations Reports Tree Theft

ITHACA, N.Y. —Cornell Plantations staff reported that a tree was destroyed in the Watkins Pinetum area of the F.R. Newman Arboretum sometime between Thursday evening, November 20^th and Friday morning, November 21^st . The tree, a Bosnian pine valued at $3,800, appeared to have been cut down with a hatchet or an axe. After cutting down the tree and dragging it to the edge of the road, the perpetrators abandoned it there.

“This tree was nearly four decades old, had been started from seed, and was essentially irreplaceable,” said Plantations director Don Rakow. “Each tree is an integral part of Plantations’ educational collections, and a beautiful addition to the Cornell and Ithaca communities. Their destruction is deeply disturbing.” “Our living specimens are analogous to an art museum’s works of art; this crime is similar to vandalizing or destroying an irreplaceable painting,” agreed Plantations horticultural supervisor Jim Mack.

“Every year we are faced with the potential of having conifers cut and removed for Christmas trees,” noted Plantations plant health care coordinator Donna Levy. “To counteract would-be tree thieves, Plantations sprays many conifers with a harmless concoction we call “ugly mix,” which makes the trees appear unhealthy.” This spray material eventually washes off with the rain, returning the specimen to its natural state. Unfortunately, the Bosnian pine was destroyed shortly before Plantations’ plant health care crew began applying the mixture to trees within the botanical garden and arboretum.

Plantations is offering a $250 reward for information leading to a conviction; they request that citizens with information relating to this incident contact Cornell Police at 607-255-1111.