131 



of the most unusual and interesting of all our native trees. It 

 grows in swales. It has a very tough-grained wood. The 

 autumn foliage is deep red and handsome. The peculiarties of 

 the tree are the continuation of the trunk to near the summit, 

 and the many lateral short deflected tortuous branches. 



Consider the structure of the sassafras in Fig. 30. The great 

 branches stand off nearly at right angles to the trunk, and are 

 bushy and twiggy at the ends. 

 Each large branch if cut off at 

 its base and stood upright 

 would look like an independent 

 tree, so tree-like is its branch- 

 ing. Observe how much more 

 bushy the sassafras is than any 

 of the other trees already fig- 

 ured. Compare the method of 

 branching and the twiginess 

 with the slippery elm (Fig. 27). 



But there is still greater 

 brushiness in the thorn-apple 

 (Fig. 31). The twiginess in 

 Figs. 30 and 31 is very unlike, 

 however. Pick out the differ 

 ences. Observe the very short 

 and spur-like twigs in the thorn- 

 apple ; also notice how soon the 

 trunk is lost in the branches. 



With all the foregoing 

 pictures compare the steeple-like form of the Lombardy poplar 

 (Fig. 32). The tree is frequent along roadsides and about 

 yards. What is its structure? Observe it as it stands against 

 the winter sk3^ There is nothing else in our northern landscape 

 so straight and spire-like. If you know a beech tree standing 

 in a field, contrast it with the Lombard}^ poplar. These two 

 trees represent extremes of vertical and horizontal branching. 



Aside from the general structure of the tree-top. the pupil 

 will become interested in the winter color of the tree and in the 

 character of the bark. How does the bark differ between elms 



29. 



Pepperidge or Sour Gum. 

 oddest of New York trees. 



The 



