OUR NATIVE TREES. 55 



parts of the trees, coming, gradually, to particulars ; as, when the 

 leaves are off, to the style of branching, seen even in a twig, and 

 the consequent form of the tree. What better object lesson in 

 spring time than a handful of sprays of the birches and alders, 

 alive with their prett}' catkins, each telling of its points to be 

 observed and of the tree or bush from which it came ? 



Then it may be shown how the buds furnish, before the leaves 

 appear, one of the surest means for the identification of the different 

 trees. One oak has a large, thick bud ; another, a small, pointed 

 bud. The birch has a small, close bud ; the beech a long, spindle- 

 shaped bud, once recognized never mistaken. Make transverse 

 sections of the buds, note their differences and their beauties. 



The recognition of trees by their leaves is one of the most inter- 

 esting and, in school, most easily managed means which we have. 

 Children will pick up and handle and admire leaves, especially in 

 the gala season of foliage ; and why should we not utilize that 

 natural curiosity and love for their beautiful forms and colors ? 



Fourth. Teach what trees are adapted for special purposes , 

 and for different localities and soils. It is interesting to observe 

 that there is this adaptation, and some knowledge of it might pre- 

 vent lamentable failures in the work of Arbor Days, both public 

 and private. 



Fifth. The scenic effects of the different species, in all their 

 variations of shape, ramifications, and foliage ; in copse, in formal 

 rows, in groups, in the forest, wherever nature or the hand of man 

 has put them, should be impressed upon the pu[)ils as opportunity 

 occurs. Thus, like the tree itself, will appreciation of it grow. 



So, again — in connection with the study of geography — the 

 productiveness or sterility of certain regions, the recurrence of 

 cyclones and floods or exemption from them, in given districts, 

 would be explained by directing attention to the saving help of an 

 abundant tree growth. It should be taught to the children, and 

 thoroughly inwrought with their education, that the only thing 

 which will prevent in our own country the desolation which has 

 followed the deforestation of many sections of the old world is 

 ' the maintainance of a proper proportion of wooded land." 



The above and several other points were treated somewhat at 

 length in the paper named ; and the reasons for the introduction 

 of this work into our schools were summarized as follows : 



"a. Whatever kind of knowledge is of practical and general 



