NEWS NOTES 167 



Since I can tell the names of all of the trees around here by their bark, I am 

 teaching myself to know them from .1 distance by the way in which they grow. 

 You may not think this is possible, but it is, because I have found that no two 

 different kinds of trees hold their branches in the same way. I have made it 

 into a game which I rather enjoy playing as I go through the woods. • This is 

 the way I do it. I pick out several trees while I am too far away from them to 

 be able to tell what they are by their bark, and I decide as to what I think they 

 are, then I go up close to them to see if I was right. It is one of the most 

 original and fascinating guessing games that I have ever played. Try it and 

 see if you don't agree with me. I am beginning to know the trees around here 

 so well by the growth of their branches that I very seldom make a mistake any 

 more. For instance, these are some of the things I have learned ; the branches 

 of the black walnut while comparatively few are large and spreading and very 

 stiff looking, even the smallest twigs are stubby and thick; the willow has 

 slender branches which grow upward and are covered with long yellow switches; 

 the branches of the elms bend down in the shape of an umbrella and are a soft 

 gray in color, even the tiny little twigs (which are very slender) carry out this 

 same scheme of growth ; all the top branches of the tulip magnolia try to grow 

 as near vertical as possible; these trees also have rather stiff looking branches 

 but they grow so much more vertical and are so very much lighter in color 

 that they cannot possibly be mistaken for black walnut. I might go on 

 indefinitely and describe any number of trees in this same way without men- 

 tioning their bark so you see I am learning a few things out of school simply 

 by observation walks. Pearl Beard 



Miss Beard's report on her visit to her bird tables will appear 

 in the Bird Number of The Review. 



