Walks with the Children. 163 



the ground. What kind of a tree is it ? How do you 

 know that this is a beech ? Its bark is gray and smooth. 

 Its leaves ? Saw-edged, smooth, pointed. Now each of 

 you take as much ground as you can cover with your hand- 

 kerchief. Each one take out his handkerchief and spread 

 it smoothly on the ground. Now when I say " Ready " you 

 may take them up. When you take them up, see how many 

 things you can find on the ground under the handkerchiefs. 

 " Ready." 



Etta. There is nothing under my handkerchief. 



Teacher. Oh, yes, there is. Here is something. What 

 is it? 



Etta, An old beechnut. 



Teacher. What are these brown scales ? 



Etta. They are from the buds last spring. 



Teacher. What have you got, Harry ? 



Harry. -I have found some beechnuts, some pods that 

 used to have nuts in them, some bud-scales, and a dried 

 beech-leaf. 



Martha. I have found a young beech-tree only six 

 inches tall. 



Teacher. Scrape up some soil and tell me what you find 

 in it. 



Jane. This dirt is full of pieces of leaves. 



Martha. There are pieces of leaves and shucks of nuts 

 in it. 



Ida. The soft parts of the leaves are all rotted away, 

 but the stems and veins are left. 



Etta. The soil is made up of rotten leaves and bark. 

 There is fine sand in it. 



Teacher. Save these things and examine them carefully. 

 This is soil. 



Harry. Here is a maple-key, too. 



Teacher. How did a maple-key come under a beech- 

 tree ? 



Martha. The wind blew it here. 



Teacher. Do you see the wing on the maple-key? 



