THE FUN OF SEEING THINGS 



239 



The Black Alder. 



A modest shrub the summer through, 



Its tiny blossom all unseen, 

 Unless, perhaps, by roaming bee. 



That finds them midst the living green. 



And when the autumn glory comes, 



And earth is teeming witJh its sheaves, 

 E'en then 'tis half in hiding still, 

 , The berries covered with its leaves. 



But when at last the leaves are gone. 

 It blazons forth in all its pride ; 



Its scarlet berries light the way, 



And brighten all the country side. 



— Emma Peirce. 



HOOKS AND H.MRS OF A WASP'S WING. 



tion of minute objects, and provided, 

 too, that he knows for what he should 

 look, but it is not an easy microscopical 

 task. It becomes easier, and the fur- 

 rows more distinctly apparent, if the 

 one-inch objective will bear a high 

 power eyepiece, but even then they call 

 for attentive looking. With the one- 

 fifth inch objective and the two-inch 

 eyepiece, even the novice can hardly 

 fail to perceive the twisted surface. 

 But in any event, the hairs are worth 

 seeing and studying. The wing should 

 be mounted in Canada balsam. 



—A. C. S. 



The Seeds of Magnolias. 



In many gardens one of the most 

 showy of the small trees that bloom 

 in early spring is the magnolia. The 

 large, showy, tulip-like flowers that 

 adorn it attract general attention. 

 Many of us seem to forget these trees 

 after they drop their showy flowers, 

 but the true tree lover early learns the 

 fact that the grace and beauty of the 

 magnolia with its interesting foliage 

 merit admiration during the entire 

 summer. 



There are many types of these trees, 

 some natives of our country, others of 

 Europe and the Orient. Most of them 

 are hardy in the North. The spring 

 bloom is followed by slowly develop- 

 ing seed pods which during the sum- 

 mer are green and not conspicuous. 

 With some species, these grow to be 

 several inches in length and somewhat 

 resemble a cucumber, so much so in 

 fact that one of the species is known 

 as the cucumber tree. As these cones 

 mature they pop open at the sides, and 

 show the intensely brilliant carmine 

 fruit. 



Why not become more intimately 

 acquainted with these trees? Collect 



MAGNOLIA SEEDS FROM CHATTANOOGA. 



