964 Rural School Leaflet. 



It is hardly knowing a person to be able to say when one passes 

 close to him, "I think that was one of the Jones family"; nor is 

 it knowing a tree to say when one sees it in full leaf, "I think that 

 is an oak." Sudworth's "Check List of Forest Trees in the United 

 States" recognizes over 70 different species of oak. Luckily for the 

 beginner, comparatively few of them will be found in any one neighbor- 

 hood. 



There are many means of identifying a tree — general aspect, bark, 

 branch-spray, winter buds, leaves, fruit (that is, seed) and wood. When 

 one knows a tree well he will be able to recognize it anywhere at a glance. 

 A boy who has a row of sugar maples to play under at home will not 

 need to wait for the leaves to come out before he can tell whether he 

 is looking at a sugar maple in the school yard. 



There is no more fascinating material for winter nature-study than 

 trees. Bark, leave?, and general habit of growth, upon which the un- 

 trained observer depends to identify trees, often var\" widely in different 

 single specimens, or even in the same specimen, but the winter buds 

 and the arrangement and appearance of the twigs can be depended on. 

 All that is necessar}' is close observation. 



It is impossible, of course, to set forth here the distinguishing marks 

 of the various tree species of the Northeast. There are many helps 

 for teachers, however. A copy of Miss Huntington's "Studies of Trees in 

 Winter," which should be added to the school library if it is not already 

 there (published by Knight & Millet, Boston, price $2.50), will be ex- 

 ceedingly helpful to those unable to use a technical work, like Sargent's 

 "Manual of the Trees of North America." It will be well to secure 

 also a copy of Bulletin No. 17 of the Forest Service, "Check List of the 

 Forest Trees of the United States, Their Names and Ranges." This 

 can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, 

 D. C. The price, 15 cents, should be sent in cash or by postal money 

 order. Stamps and checks are not accepted. 



Begin with the trees which you know. Gather twigs and note the 

 buds carefully — their shape, size, color, position on the twig, etc. Are 

 they opposite or alternate? Smooth, hairy, or gummy? You will 

 be astonished at the differences if you have never before observed the 

 winter buds. 



Now let each child bring twigs of some native tree (not an exotic 

 tree bought for ornamental planting) which grows near his home or 

 along the road to school, and of which he knows the name. Leave the 

 unknown until later. It is necessary to go slowly until the children 

 as well as you yourself have become familiar with the commoner trees, 

 one by one. 



