26 



Leaf casting. (A walk) 



drop off of their own accord. The autumn winds often 

 blow them off while they are still green. Thus it 

 happens that you will find leaves showing every stage 

 of autumn colouring under one tree. On the other 

 hand some kinds of trees keep their dead leaves on the 

 twigs to act as a protection to the young buds and do 

 not shed them till the next spring when the weather is 

 milder and the buds are able to take care of themselves. 



Fig. 16. Old Scotch Pine, showing stumps of branches. 



Many trees cast in this same way not only leaves 

 but twigs. You have very likely noticed how the 

 ground round some trees at this time of year is strewn 

 with twigs and small branches, and have thought the 

 wind was to blame. This may be true in part, but it is 

 not due to the wind alone. This branch casting is 



