6 SYLVAN ONTARIO. 



province or county. Since different names have at different times been, 

 given in some cases to the same species, it is customary to add, for still 

 greater certainty, the name of the author who first gave this designation 

 to the species. Thus, Acer rubrum (L.) is the Red Maple, as so named by 

 Linnaeus. It will be seen that this Linnsean system is practically only a 

 Latinized form of our common methods of naming persons as well as 

 things. 



Patient observers have thus named, and classified more or less cor- 

 rectly, all the forms of life that they have found throughout the world, 

 and their work is still going on. The following pages are intended to 

 assist the reader in the much humbler, though scarcely less interesting, 

 task of identifying a few common and conspicuous forms of vegetable 

 life, and learning the every-day and the botanical names of these, with a 

 few interesting facts concerning their structure or habits. For this 

 purpose, I have selected the Trees and Shrubs and Woody Yines that 

 grow wild within our Province, and have fixed on their leaves as the 

 most suitable feature upon which to base our observations. In classifica- 

 tion all resemblances and differences must be taken into account; but 

 for identification it is, fortunately, necessary to consider only the more 

 obvious similarities and distinctions. It will be found possible, after a 

 little practice in observing the peculiarities of leaves and the terms used 

 in describing them, to identify any species included here, by means of 

 the Index given on pages 15 to 37. 



In order to use this Index, the beginner should first become acquainted 

 with the terms and definitions given under the heading, " Description of 

 a Leaf." This is best done by comparison with natural leaves, and with 

 the drawings to which references are made. Begin by mastering the three 

 headings, "Kind," "Arrangement," "Margin," so that you can at a 

 glance apply the proper terms to any given leaf; e.g., "Simple Opposite 

 Lobed" or "Compound Alternate Pinnate." When able to take this 

 step you are certainly well begun, and often more than half done. The 

 corresponding heading in the Index will give the group, and in most 

 cases the page, which contains the species you are considering. Then 

 follow the brief rule : "If description agrees, step to right ; if not, step 

 down" Compare the description carefully at every stage with the leaves 

 before you, and a few steps will bring you to the botanical name of the 

 tree or shrub you are examining. The common name, with a few added 

 remarks, will be found by number in the succeeding pages. 



