How to find out the age of a tree?

How can someone fine out the age of a tree?

Well...
The scientists have found out that by counting the rings in the trunk of a tree, you can tell the age of that tree. How is it possible?
Each year there is a period of the greatest growth for the trees. In the cold climate, this period is the season of spring. During this season the cells in inside the skin of the trunk of the tree split or divide. As we all know, the cells divide as they grow.
The cell so formed are of two kinds; the inner cell, which is towards inside the trunk is called the 'wood cell', this forms a new ring in the trunk. The other cell is called the 'bast cell' which will grow next year.
So as we see each year, the trunk of a tree gets a new ring of wood. The earlier wood cells (or the innermost cells) become pressed together so tightly that they die. These form the harder wood in the trunk, called the 'heart wood'
If you slice a tree at its base neatly, you will see the rings and the 'heart wood'.
Scientist have counted more than 3500 rings in 'Arizona' and 'California' in 'U.S.A'.
These are the oldest and biggest living creature in whole of nature.
When 'Columbus' landed in 'America' these trees are already more than 3000 thousand years old.

cut it open and look at the rings and count them

Here ya go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrochronology

yeah chop it down and count the rings

But what a waste of a nice tree eh??

Dont need to chop it down, you can extract a core sample without harming the tree.

Yes much better answer than mine!!!