^N 



ERSITY 1 

 THE TREES OF OUR WOODS 125 



VJV H 



the snow is not blown out of the woods, and that much 

 snow blown into them is also retained. Why are there no 

 high snow banks in large woods as there are on the prairies 

 and open fields ? Show the children how leaves and flowers 

 in the bud are protected by scales from drying up and from 

 too sudden changes of temperature. In January and Febru- 

 ary the closely packed and folded leaves and flowers in the 

 buds contain but little moisture, and are not at all injured by 

 a steady frost; but after the buds have opened, the young 

 leaves and shoots are filled with sap, and a late spring frost 

 frequently kills every leaf and shoot in whole groves. 

 Have the children verify these statements by observations, 

 and in the same manner learn and teach which trees are 

 injured most by late spring frosts. Of every tree studied 

 preserve winter twigs, flowering branchlets, and full-grown 

 leaves in the school herbarium. Most fruits are best pre- 

 served in small boxes. They should be left on their pedun- 

 cles or stalks, and as nearly in their natural condition as 

 is possible. 



The children might be asked to plant the seeds of differ- 

 ent trees and shrubs on small plots of ground. All tree 

 seeds, except poplars and willows, which need but very 

 little covering of moist earth, may be planted about an inch 

 deep, in good garden soil, as soon as they begin to fall. 

 You will find, by experiment, that some begin to grow at 

 once, others remain dormant until next spring, and some 

 do not germinate before the second spring. The seed bed 

 may be covered in fall with a little hay or straw, to prevent 

 repeated freezing and thawing. The germination of the 

 seeds and the growth of the baby trees will be of much 

 interest to the children. Unless you have noted the place 

 of the different seeds with marked sticks, you will not at 

 once recognize all the seedlings, so little do many of them 

 look like their giant parents. 



