TREES, EVEEGEEENS, AND SHEUBS. 23 



becomes anew " a thing of beauty," and an additional 

 source of enjoyment. 



The deeply interesting and curious laws which regulate 

 the growth and form of trees can hardly be explained or 

 understood without the use of diagrams ; but if the reader 

 should wish to pursue the subject, most ample information 

 will be found in " Typical Forms and Special Ends in 

 Creation," and in the fifth volume of " Modern Painters." 

 Perhaps it may be feared that such details will be dry 

 reading, but it is not so ; and the knowledge thus obtained 

 gives such an additional interest to every tree we look 

 upon, that it is almost like the acc^uisition of a new sense. 

 The more deeply, the more minutely we search into the 

 works of God, the more do we feel that indeed His 

 works are " past finding out ; " and when w^e are told that 

 for His " glory they are and were created," is it not well 

 to seek to understand these His " w^onderful works ? " 

 One object of this book being to shew how near at hand 

 sources of pleasure lie, if w^e will but open our minds to 

 enjoy them, I earnestly recommend all lovers of trees, or 

 those who wish to become such, to make themselves 

 acquainted with the many curious discoveries connected 

 with the growth of their favourites ; till they have done 

 so, they can have no idea of the added interest they will 

 feel in every leaf, even in the winter-stripped branches and 

 spray. There is, indeed, as Dr M'Cosh remarks, enough 

 in " a pine cone to reward the study, for hours together, of 

 the very highest intellect." 



Were I attempting here a history or description of 



