Osage Orange Balls

Henry · Oct 17, 2001

I grew up in Pittsburgh and we always called them Monkey Balls.

MossRoad · Oct 17, 2001

We call them osage oranges, hedge apples, monkey brains and mailbox busters when thrown from cars by kids. The trees line many of the fields around northern Indiana. I was told that they were planted as hedge rows by the Europeans after they invaded, er, settled the area. They all lean to the north east as the prevailing wind is from the south west. The wood was used by the native americans to make bows. I made one when I was a kid in boy scouts. It was pretty good for a carved stick. I used 100 # test braided fishing line that I waxed up for the string. Shot several fish with it. I broke it after a few years. Wish I still had it. You can pleach a hedge out of it. You bend a branch and insert it into a cut on another branch, then tie them together. They eventually grow together and make a very strong hedge that can contain livestock. Also saw a story in the local paper about putting the balls in corners of basements and attics to repel insects and mice. Everybody that does it says it works. I never tried it. I would rather have spiders that eat any bugs that might get into my basement or attic.

<font color=green> MossRoad </font color=green>

dummy · Oct 18, 2001

And what's the other half a quart for?

TerryinMD · Oct 18, 2001

To sooth your soul after seeing how much damage you caused throwing the monkey balls at the critters in your house. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Terry

GrantMO · Oct 18, 2001

Glenn,
Thanks for the laugh. I haven't laughed like that for a while. One question. Is it acceptable to substitute Old Crow or Kesseler's if you're fresh out of Four Roses?

MikePA · Oct 18, 2001

I thought it was monkey brains not monkey balls. I would think the former would splat whereas the later would bounce. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

RPM · Oct 19, 2001

That reminds me of the old joke ...

Do you know why moths fly with their legs apart?

Well have you ever seen the size of moth-balls?

MossRoad · Oct 22, 2001

Be carefule not to confuse hedge apples or horse apples with road apples or you will end up with piles of horse dudy in the corners of your attic./w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

<font color=green> MossRoad </font color=green>