146 SYLVAN WINTER. 



commonly in short lines, the second year's shoot 

 usually taking some direction contrary to that of 

 the first. Thus the rudiments are laid of that 

 abrupt mode of ramification for which the Oak 

 is remarkable. When two shoots spring from 

 the same knot, they are commonly of unequal 

 length ; and one with large strides generally takes 

 the lead. Very often also three shoots, and 

 sometimes four, spring from the same knot. 

 Hence the spray of the Oak becomes thick, close, 

 and interwoven ; so that, at a little distance, it 

 has a full, rich appearance, and more of the pic- 

 turesque roughness than we observe in the spray 

 of any other tree. The spray of the Oak also 

 generally springs in such directions as give its 

 branches that horizontal appearance which they 

 generally assume.' 



The rich, purplish-brown colour of the bark of 

 the Beech twigs is at once noticeable on 

 examining the spray of this tree. Its gloss is 

 another feature observable. The buds are 

 irregularly produced on alternate sides of the 

 twigs, and the stems that produce them are of 

 varying lengths. The peculiar wrinkling of the 



