UNI 



III. THE LEAF. 



53 



show the opposition between this vertebrate form, branch- 

 ing again usually at the edges, a, and the softly opening 

 lines diffused at the stem, and gathered at the point of the 

 leaf , which, as you almost without doubt know already 



FIG 3. 



are characteristic of a vast group of plants, including 

 especially all the lilies, grasses, and palms, which for the 

 most part are the signs of local or temporary moisture in 

 hot countries ; local, as of fountains and streams ; tem- 

 porary, as of rain or inundation. 



But temporary, still more definitely in the day, than in 

 the year. When you go out, delighted, into the dew of 

 the morning, have you ever considered why it is so rich 

 upon the grass; why it is not upon the trees? It is 

 partly on the trees, but yet your memory of it will be 

 always chiefly of its gleam upon the lawn. On many 



