TREES WITH A PERSONALITY 31 



ing the banks of water courses from stream ero- 

 sion. 



The lignum-vitse is a tropical fairy. Its light- 

 coloured bark, light green leaves and pale blue 

 flowers which peep out in great profusion, give it 

 the airy, spritely aspect of a wood-nympth. 



The wild cherry, with its beautiful red-bronze 

 bark, is a miser. It is so niggardly that it cannot 

 bring itself to part with its own dead branches but 

 retains them indefinitely. 



The low, broad apple trees divide their strong 

 horizontal branches into a perfect frenzy of little 

 twigs. 



The hornbeam is even more perverse and does all 

 it can to tie its branches into knots. When wounded 

 it exudes a sap which turns blood-red on exposure 

 to the air. 



The black locust is a tramp and a vagabond. Its 

 ragged and shabby appearance is accentuated when 

 winter winds strip it of its leaves. 



The study of trees quickens our love for them. 

 It is not necessary to learn their scientific names, 

 the peculiarities of their bark and their leaf struc- 

 ture, in a dry, school-boy fashion. The best way 

 to know a man is to get acquainted with him. We 

 do not worry about the height, weight and exact 



