40 PHENOMENA OF PLANT-LIFE. 



natural, no less than in the moral world, Light is the 

 great life-bringer. Without it, there is no permanent 

 and deep-lying beauty. Well may all nations, in all 

 ages, have called wisdom by the name of Light, error 

 and ignorance by the name of Darkness, and trans- 

 ferred the names of Light and Brightness, to whatever 

 is happy and holy. 



After the balsam-poplar, and almost as soon, some- 

 times, perhaps, contemporaneously, come out the syca- 

 more and the horse-chestnut. In all these early trees 

 there is, however, a very noticeable difference in 

 promptitude ; that is to say, some individuals are 

 many days earlier than others, so that in the same 

 hedgerow or plantation, while many are only prepar- 

 ing, here and there, one will be seen in long advance. 

 The buds of the sycamore are shaped like almonds, 

 and externally pink ; the leaves which they enclose, 

 are folded up like a lady's fan, and gradually flatten 

 out, though it is several weeks before they become 

 fully developed. Contrariwise, those of the horse- 

 chestnut are the color of mahogany, and instead of be- 

 ing smooth and downy, are coated with viscid matter, 

 the purpose of which appears to be further protection 

 of the contents from the cold of winter. Here, again, 

 the young leaves are folded up like a lady's fan ; every 

 fold straight and symmetrical, while in the centre is 

 the rudiment of that noble cluster of flowers, which 

 by-and-by, is to help to light up this magnificent tree 



