Opening Leaves 



of spring in every scene, and later amid the vanishing 

 glories of autumn days. 



For a definite background on which to project the 

 picture of tree-life, and to call more distinct attention 

 to its unrivalled opportunities for botanical study, 

 Central Park has been chosen as perhaps the most exten- 

 sive illustration in this country of landscape-gardening, 

 where nature has been not so much assisted as left untram- 

 melled by superfluous growth, to work out her own ideals 

 of beauty and dignity. The reader is in imagination 

 taken along a few of the real paths in this nature's 

 garden threads on which to string such accounts of the 

 adjacent growth as will appeal to his mood of sentiment 

 rather than of science, and perhaps help him to realize 

 the charms hovering all around in the great out-of-doors, 

 and only needing mention to be recognized. 



But soon the inborn naturalist will find the Park a 

 gilded cage ; and his soul will long for mountain, plain, 

 and valley, the arena of nature's grandest as well as 

 most delicate accomplishments. The slightest human 

 touch mars the grace of many woodland growths, which 

 must be sought where they flourish in native simplicity. 



Although these pages are designed for popular read- 

 ing, the botanical names of plants, according to the re- 

 vised nomenclature, have been added, for convenience, 

 to their detailed description. Yet I am free to confess 

 that I am much less concerned to learn the latest ap- 

 proved scientific name than to discover the spirit and 

 special significance of a plant. My thanks are due to 

 several of the Park officials for their most cordial and 

 valuable assistance in the preparation of this work. 



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