192 THE TREES OF THE WOOD. 



exposed to the sun and air. In our forests and woods the lofty 

 trunks of the great Beeches rise like polished columns, and as the 

 smooth gray bark catches the sparkling light from the low winter 

 sun most beautiful effects of colour are produced. The slender 

 branches, intertwining with an airy grace, contrast with the massive 

 strength and forked growth of the Oak and the Ash. The 

 lanceolate buds are particularly interesting in winter ; they are 

 arranged in an alternate manner on the stem. How wonderful is 

 the packing and arranging of one of these little buds ! Formed 

 in the previous summer in the axil of a leaf, this carefully guarded 

 dwelling-place is protected from the winter blasts and all alien 

 influences by the closely imbricated scales. Their colour is very 

 beautiful, red brown in the outside scales, often covered with a 

 delicate bloom ; the inner, of a golden brown, shading into green, 

 and of a finer texture, bordered with a few silky hairs. As we 

 carefully remove the scales we notice how securely the young 

 leaves are protected, for the overlapping part is always at 

 the opposite side of the bud to the preceding scale. The 

 four little leaves within are probably larger in proportion 

 to their future size than those of any other British tree. 

 They are delicately fringed and covered with silky hairs, and 

 although they are less than a quarter of an inch in length, yet 

 they are distinctly Beech leaves, showing the plicate arrangement 

 of the vernation, and great beauty and perfection of form. 



But it is in the spring-time that our Beech has no rival for 

 beauty. It is generally one of the earliest to put on its summer 

 dress, and the tender green and transparent delicacy of the newly 

 expanded leaves is indescribable. As each little bud expands, 

 and the folded leaves appear from their winter shelter, the outer 

 scales are tossed aside, for their work is done. The soft young 

 leaves have their special duties to fulfil^ — they must commence 

 their great labour ; for in those silent laboratories the food 

 materials for the whole tree are assimilated and combined, to be 

 sent from thence as nourishment to the cambium cells, where 

 active growth is taking place ; forming new layers of wood and 

 bast in the roots, trunk, and branches, and new leaves at each 

 growing point. The arrangement of the leaves upon the stem is 

 very regular, and it will be noticed they are placed in the same 



