PREFACE TO THE EDITION IN COLORS. 



One of the most interesting things in connection 

 with the study of nature and the pursuit of art is 

 the study of color. It would take a massive volume 

 profuse with illustrations to adequately describe and 

 portray those phases of color which are common at 

 any hour of the day in the field and woodland. 



Trees have their moods as well as men, and these 

 are expressed in color which is influenced by, and 

 largely dependent upon, sunlight and atmospheric 

 conditions. To be sure, it is not quite possible to 

 perfectly represent these moods in a process repro- 

 duction of a water - color study ; but a suggestion 

 of such character is far better than the complete 

 absence of it, and, it must be acknowledged, mod- 

 ern processes are wonderfully faithful to form and 

 the touch of the artist's brush. 



With the hope of more clearly expressing by 

 illustration the life and moods of some of our com- 

 mon trees, the publishers have added to this new 

 edition the likenesses, in color, of the birch, maple, 

 red spruce, liquidambar, and other familiar charac- 



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