THE AUSTRIAN PINE 183 



Let us look at one needle. [The children measure 

 it.] It is longer than a darning needle and of differ- 

 ent shape, being round on the outside and nearly flat 

 on the inside. It is very strong. We can hardly 

 pull it in two. Is it well that the pine tree has such 

 needles ? [Refer to the story of " The Unhappy Pine 

 Tree."] Not only goats but caterpillars and insects 

 usually pass the leaves of this tree by. Hail, snow, 

 and sleet cannot injure them much. Why not? 



Pull out one pair of needles. [The children 

 find that it is set very deeply and firmly into the 

 twig.] Why is this well? [The children discover 

 that the needles in a package so fit together as to 

 resemble in shape a darning needle.] Where on the 

 twig are they set ? Do you like that arrangement ? 

 Why ? Does the Austrian pine ever lose its leaves 

 as do the maples and oaks ? How do you know ? 

 When do they fall ? Do they fall singly or in pairs ? 

 What color are they when they fall? Do you see 

 any such on the tree now ? If so, where ? How old 

 are the needles when they fall? You cannot tell 

 now. You do not know it well enough yet to find 

 out all its secrets. Now tell all the secrets you do 

 know about the package of needles. Make a drawing 

 of them. What secret has the tree failed to tell you ? 



