TREES OF AMERICA. 217 



take notice of that now. The cedars again 

 have leaves quite different from either of the 

 others ; the leaves of the pines and spruces, 

 you know, are smooth and shining ; those of 

 the cedars are irreo-ular on their surfaces, and 

 look very much like bits of green twine : this 

 roughness or irregularity is caused by very 

 small scales with which they are covered ; 

 besides, they are not as stiff as the leaves 

 of the pine or spruce, and each leaf is, in fact, 

 a small branch, dividing itself and spreading 

 out, like branches of coral : there are other 

 differences, too, which we will notice by- 

 and-by. 



" Of all the trees in the world, there are 

 none as universal as these ever-greens, or 

 having as many varieties. Go v/here you 

 will, to any part of the globe, and you will be 

 sure to find some sort of pine or trees of a 

 similar kind ; and although the oak, and some 

 other trees, may be useful in more ways, there 

 are none that are as much used, or that we 

 should find it as inconvenient to be deprived 

 of. All the pines produce a resinous sub- 

 stance, which is of great use and value for 

 very many different purposes ; and the wood 

 is an article of universal consumption ; indeed. 



