When I first saw the beautiful tree growing on 51st Avenue near 24th Street in August of 2009, I was amazed. I sensed it had to be 75 years or more. It towered over the cinderblock buildings nearby. And, it seemed to rival the distant Empire State Building, seen in over the haze at the end of 51st Ave, where it meets the Long Island Railroad track, with the entrance to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel right behind. I thought, among all these gray and brick buildings, this is really a huge tree! What must this tree have experienced? Several days later I began to investigate the tree. I stopped the car, and got out. It seemed so very healthy, so green, so happy. I estimated the height to be about 70 feet. It was near a one-story structure, entered through a court yard on Borden Avenue. Protected by a chain-link fence that surrounded the back of the building, the tree seemed safe. Vines grew up around it and onto the building next to it. I reached up and grabbed a nice leaf, took it home and - ...