VI. The Life of the Tree 



Each individual tree has an interesting and by no means un- 

 eventful life-cycle. Certain organs, tissues, and growth-proc- 

 esses are distinctive of each stage in the life history, for ex- 

 ample, the seed-leaves of the seedling, the flowers of the ma- 

 ture tree, and the heavy wood formation of the " veteran." 

 Every tree comes from some parent tree ; the seed is the migra- 

 tion or motile stage. Once rooted, the tree must live its life 

 as best it can; it cannot move to a more favorable environ- 

 ment. 



Every tree is confronted with the two fundamental life prob- 

 lems: to maintain itself, and to reproduce its kind. On the 

 Assembly Grounds may be found every stage in the life-cycle 

 of a tree flowers, fruit, seed, seedling, sapling, mature tree, 

 veteran, the dead tree, the decaying log, the woodland soil. 

 " Largest of living things, and longest of life are the trees. 

 They have dominated the life of the greater part of the habit- 

 able earth by the sheer vigor of their growth. They have 

 gone far toward making the world a fit place for us to live in. 

 Our ancestors were woodsmen. The forests provided them 

 homes and food." Needham. 



Suggestions for individual work: 



1. Collect and split open the seeds of several species of trees. What 

 evidence do you find within the seed of the presence of the embryonic 

 tree? 



2. Compare one of these embryo seedlings with a seedling of the same 

 species. What important transformations have taken place in the latter ? 



3. Find a sapling that has been chopped off, or otherwise cut to reveal 

 a cross-section; examine the seasonal rings. Compare with growth- 

 rings on a large stump. 



4. What is the largest individual tree in your region? height? girth? 

 diameter? approximate thickness of bark? how old? history? 



5. Find a moldering log. Are any other pknts growing on the top? 

 the sides ? underneath ? Make a list of the animals that you find under 

 old logs. 



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