138 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



When such a seed had learned ten birds, had collected and 

 could name twenty flowers, and could recognize five kinds of trees, 

 he was announced to the world as a seedling. He had begun to 

 grow. 



A little later the seedlings learned the colors of more birds, 

 could identify five just from the song, had learned more flowers, 

 had collected ten fruits growing wild, had managed to stay on the 

 trail of a bird for fifteen minutes, had learned the whys and where- 

 fores of a flower's many parts, and had watched a family of birds 

 at a nest for half an hour. By this time the youngster was becom- 

 ing enthusiastic and reaching up toward the top of the foiest. 

 He became a sapling. 



It was harder to grow into a tree and still harder to win the 

 highest title of all, "The Big Tree." Fifty birds, a hundred flowers, 

 the finding of a warbler's nest, five orchids, five mammals, a full 

 report on the nesting habits of some bird, and the trapping and 

 banding of five birds for U. S. Biolopical Survey were among the 

 stunts. 



A good deal of this nature-study was done on the camp grounds, 

 or along the lake shore, in the swamps, woods, or upland pastuies 

 nearby. Several longer hikes and canoe trips were taken lasting 

 three or four days and extending into the lake country and moun- 

 tains in every direction. To cap them all, a glorious ten days 

 jaunt into the wild portion of the Rnageleys right up to the Cana- 

 dian line is offered for the best hikers. 



As seedlings, saplings, and trees vied with one anothei for the 

 honor of becoming a big tree, the boys came to appreciate more 

 than ever before, the wonderful opportunities for enjoyment that 

 nature offers to us. 



Some people are always finding fault with nature for putting 

 thorns on roses: I always thank her for putting roses on thorns. 



—A. Karr 



