152 HOUSE, GARDEN, AND FIELD 



which are used in school ! Ordnance maps of the dis- 

 trict on more than one scale should be pinned up where 

 they could be seen every day. The exercises in mensura- 

 tion I pass over here, for we have not nearly time and space 

 enough to treat of my proper subject the natural history 

 of the hedge and ditch. 



Part of the inquiry relates to certain details of common 

 plants which have often been handled in elementary books. 

 Here I shall often put questions instead of giving informa- 

 tion. Most of the questions are easy, and nearly all can 

 be answered by direct observation of the objects concerned. 

 Where help seems to be called for, a numeral refers the 

 reader to the hints at the end of the chapter. Questions 

 are not only excellent for revision of old lessons, but also 

 for directing the investigation of new facts. 



TREES OF THE HEDGE. 



Eight kinds of trees grow in or close to our hedge, viz. 

 sycamore-maple, hedge-maple, elm, ash, beech, hawthorn, 

 holly and elder. These trees employ two distinct methods 

 of dispersing their seeds. What are the two methods ? 

 Can any reason be given why elder, hawthorn and holly 

 should employ a different method of dispersal from such 

 trees as elm and ash ? Which of all these trees comes first 

 into leaf ? Which last ? Which first casts its leaves ? 

 Which last ? Which bear evergreen leaves ? When does 

 holly change its leaves ? Some evergreen trees change all 

 their leaves at one time ; is this true of all ? Two of 

 the trees on our list are defended by sharp points. Against 

 what do they need defence ? Are there any prickly shrubs 

 or herbs in our hedge ? Classify the following prickly 

 plants (i) according to the use which they make of their 

 prickles ; and (2) according to the part of the plant which 

 is prickly : holly, hawthorn, furze, bramble, briar. Does 

 hawthorn remind you of an old lesson on stipules ? What is 

 the difference between a stipule and a segment of a divided 



