150 



nature ? Tie a large sheet of cloth in the top of some evergreen 

 tree, in such a way as to form a receptacle to catch the leaves. 

 Do you catch leaves in winter as well as in summer ? 



There are several different kinds of pines, so we must picture 

 carefully in our minds the foliage of the white pine, for it is dif- 

 ferent from that of any others. The leaves are soft and very 

 slender, and from three to four inches long. The base of each 

 cluster of leaves is at first surrounded by a small sheath-like 



40. Shoot of common pitch pine. One -ha If natural size. 

 body, but this falls away when the leaves are still very young. 

 A scar is left when the leaves drop and these scars can often be 

 seen on parts of the branches that are eight or ten years old. 

 Do the leaves of other kinds of trees make a scar when they fall ? 

 The white pine cones, in which the seeds are borne, are con- 

 spicuous objects. They are five or six inches long and slightly 

 curved. It will be interesting to find out if the seeds ripen the 

 same year in which they are formed. Perhaps a cone still con- 

 taining seeds can be obtained. Carefully tear it apart and see 

 where the seeds are attached. Red squirrels sometimes eat the 

 pine seeds. A white pine cone, which has shed its seeds, is shown 

 in Fig. 39. 



