THE ARCHITECTURE OF TREES 167 



retains its diameter up to the three branches 

 broken off just under the head, where it once 

 more loses in diameter; and finally branches 

 into the multitude of head-boughs of which 

 not one will be found tapering in any part, but 

 losing itself gradually by division among its 

 off-shoots and spray. This is nature, and 

 beauty too." 



Another feature of the beauty of the tree is 

 the near approach to uprightness of the highest 

 branches, and the gradual change to more 

 horizontal direction lower down the tree, until 

 the lowest branches actually bend towards the 

 ground. Again, variety is caused by the ends 

 of the lower branches turning upwards when 

 they have pushed their way so far out that 

 they press directly towards the light. Thus 

 the growth of the tree, during which it always 

 has to accommodate itself to the power of 

 gravitation pulling downwards, results in forms 

 and proportions that appeal to our sense of 

 beauty. 



It is not perhaps wholly fanciful to pursue 

 further the comparison with architecture. 

 Might we not fairly liken such a tree as the 

 oak to the Greek Doric style, the ash and 



