xx INTRODUCTION 



woody stems and branches. They are distinguished 

 from bushes and shrubs by ordinarily possessing 

 only one trunk. Yet despite their size and marked 

 individuality of form, trees have the roots, the stem, 

 the leaves, the fruit, and the seeds characteristic of 

 all plants. 



It really is most remarkable that, despite many 

 adverse conditions, the trees enjoy the distinction 

 of becoming, as a class, the very oldest of living 

 earthly things. They cannot evade or run away 

 from danger. Patiently they must endure drought, 

 flood, earthquake, fire, storm, and insects. Yet 

 many of them rise superior to all forces working for 

 their destruction and reach ages which cause even 

 man to marvel. 



The aim of this book is to present the trees as 

 living, lovable personalities working and playing 

 in a world quite as real and vital as our own; and 

 possessing many habits and attributes which we 

 often imagine are exclusively human. They are 

 far more sensitive to climatic conditions than man, 

 and in some of them is discernible a strangeness 

 of expression that is difficult to understand. Only 

 a rash and presumptuous person would dare say 

 that trees are not endowed with a consciousness, 

 no matter how infmitesimally small it may be. 



Make friends with the trees and they will make 



