THE LEAP AS A BUILDER. 



3 



Not lees plainly does the diversity of character in 

 a leaf reveal the diversity of tree life itself. No 

 two leaves are exactly alike ; no two 

 trees are exactly alike. There are spe- 

 cific as well as generic differ- 

 ences which are strongly 

 marked. One tree leads a 

 rugged, wild, and struggling 

 life ; another an easy, luxurious 

 life. The rough and fuzzy leaf 

 of the slip- 

 pery elm, the 

 silky leaf of 

 the beech, the 

 shiny leaf of 

 the gray birch, 

 these are all 

 widely differ- 

 ent ; but there are also dis- 

 tinct differences between 

 the leaves of different kinds 

 of birches, elms, and maples. 



Still, there are puzzling- 

 similarities, and one is often 

 compelled to study minute 

 details in order to make sure 

 of a particular species. 



*' The silky leaf of the Beech." 



