THE FALL OF THE LEAF. 285 



cases the leaf becomes tinted only when it has lost a 

 certain portion of its vitality, and just before it is ready 

 to fall from the tree. 



The pines are not classed with deciduous trees ; yet 

 they shed their leaves in autumn as regularly as the 

 latter. Late in October you may observe the yellow 

 foliage which is ready to fall, surrounding the last year's 

 growth of the branches, and exhibiting a curious inter 

 mixture of yellow with the green growth of the last 

 summer. These leaves always turn yellow before they 

 fall ; you never find the green leaves of a pine-tree, as 

 you do of many other trees, mixed with the other foli 

 age upon the ground. The same fact may be noticed 

 of the oaks. 



As late as the second week in November we can sel 

 dom find one of our indigenous trees with any green 

 leaves upon it, unless it be a young. tree, under the pro 

 tection of woods. The third period has now com 

 menced ; and the fall of the leaf is nearly completed. 

 The oaks, though not entirely stript of their leafy 

 honors, have lost the beauty of their hues, and bear 

 their heads less proudly among the leafless tenants of 

 the forest. The grass already exhibits a seared and 

 brown appearance, and is becoming tasteless to the 

 flocks. A few asters may still be seen, a golden-rod in 

 damp places, an occasional solitary coreopsis in the 

 meadows, or a blue-fringed gentian standing erect 

 among the brown herbage of the fields. But amid the 

 general desolate appearance of nature, the scarlet ber 

 ries of the prinos are conspicuous among the wild 

 shrubbery ; and the wych-hazel, clad in a full drapery 

 of yellow blossoms, stands ready with joyful hues to 

 welcome the Indian summer. 



The Indian summer, which arrives during this third 



