106 



Hickories open very late in the season. The Norway Maple, com- 

 monly planted on lawns, behaves in a similar way. Observe the 

 Sugar Maple. 



* 



* 



Y 



A twig of the common elm is shown 

 in Fig. G7. Notice the " ring." See 

 the two kinds of buds. We suspect 

 that the three large ones are flower- 

 buds. Witli the very first warm days 



— before the robin has built her nest 



— these three Inids will burst; soon 

 the red-brown tassels will bans' on the 

 leafless twigs. Each tassel is a flower. 

 Several flowers come from each l)ud. 

 We see them in Fig. 68 : and the 

 leaf-buds have elongated somewliat. 



Watch for the fruits or seeds that 

 blow about the walks so early in 

 spring ; and note how the leaves come out. 

 With the first breath of spring, the "pussy willows" come 



Q5.— Shoot 



of a 



hickory. 



m.- 



The openiny of a 

 hickory hnd. 



67. — I'wig of ehn. 



68. — Blossoms of the elm. 



And what are the " pussies ? " They are clusters of flowers. So 

 snugly are the little flowers wrapped in wool, that the " pussies " are 



498 



