THE TREES OF THE WOOD. 193 



plane with the branch, and there is no overlapping ; the slender 

 stem is also in perfect agreement with the form and size of the 

 leaf. 



The flowers of the Beech are not perhaps very noticeable to 

 non-botanists. Yet, in May, if we look under the pale green 

 leaves we cannot fail to see the pendant catkins of the male 

 flowers, with their numerous yellow anthers ; and not far away on 

 the same branch the bristly involucres of the future nuts. The 

 ovary is three-celled, hut only one ovule is finally developed As 

 the summer days lengthen the Beech leaves become of a darker 

 colour and stronger consistency, and the mast is formed. In the 

 north especially the Beech is often very variable with regard to its 

 fruit. In 1888, the trees were covered with flowers, and after- 

 wards with the nuts, but in 1889 scarcely a flower could be found. 

 This year they seem to be fairly abundant in some districts. 



The Beech nuts are usually two together ; the fruit is 

 enclosed in a bristly hardened cupule, which has three sharp 

 angles ; when ripe it dehisces at the upper extremity, and the 

 nuts drop out. The seed is pendulous ; the remains of the 

 undeveloped ovules may be seen at the top. The empty cupules 

 frequently remain on the tree until the following spring ; their 

 structure both exterior and interior is worthy of careful attention, 

 showing a wonderful adaptation to the purpose required. 



In olden times Beech mast was greatly valued for the fattening 

 of swine, deer, and pigeons, and old writers, such as Gerard, in 

 1597, and Parkinson, in 1640, say much in praise of it. Even 

 now in some parts of the country as we wander through the Beech 

 woods we find the swine plodding along, and apparently enjoying 

 the fare. On the continent a considerable amount of oil is 

 obtained from the mast, which is very valuable ; but our English 

 Beeches do not produce sufficient oil in the mast to render it 

 worth the trouble of extracting. 



The Beech, in autumn, is usually a very beautiful object. 

 About the end of September the leaves turn to a glowing orange, 

 or ruddy brown, forming fine combinations of colour with the oak, 

 whose foliage is still green. In some districts the leaves of young 

 trees, or of those growing in a moist or favourable soil, remain on 

 during the winter season. 



