164 Lessons in Nature Study. 



When it fell from the mother tree, its wing made it turn 

 swiftly round and round, so that it could not get to the 

 ground at once. Then the wind blew hard, and the maple- 

 key was blown away and away far from the mother tree 

 until it fell down here. 



Ida. Oh, here is such a funny flower. It has no leaves, 

 and it is white all over. 



Teacher. Yes, that is called beechdrops. It grows on 

 beech-roots. It is a plant that grows on other plants. Let 

 us dig away the soil and find the root. 



Jane. Oh, it is scaly at the base. It grows to the root 

 of the beech-tree. I cannot pull it off. 



Teacher. When one plant or animal lives on another, we 

 call it a parasite. We will look on roots of other trees and 

 find other kinds of parasites. See the leaves of this beech- 

 tree. Let us gather some to take home with us. See the 

 edges of these leaves. How are they placed on the stem ? 

 Are the first leaves of your young beech-sprout opposite, 

 Martha ? 



Martha. Oh, yes, they are opposite. But the leaves on 

 the tree are not opposite ; they are alternate. 



Teacher. After the first pair of true leaves, which are 

 always opposite, the beech puts forth alternate leaves. Do 

 you know what beech wood looks like, Jane ? 



Jane. No, ma'am. May I break off a branch to see? 



Teacher. Yes, and we will have the boys cut off a larger 

 branch to take home. Then we can saw it, and see what 

 kind of wood it has. Harry, you may measure the tree 

 around, three feet from the ground. 



In like manner bring out the facts : 



i, That the beechnut is three-sided and has three sharp 

 edges ; 2, that the pod which encloses the beechnut has 

 small prickles on the outside and is smooth within ; 3, that 

 the bud-scales are thin, dry, brown, and glossy; 4, that soil 

 is largely made rich by decomposing vegetable matter ; 5, 

 that the young beech-tree has for its first leaves the halves 

 of the nut ; that these are pale green above and white 



