27 



THE CHESTNUT 



The chestnut grows in the southern part of Ontario, 

 and is now very scarce. A disease which came over 

 from Europe, the chestnut tree blight, is fast destroy- 

 ing what is left. The leaves are simple, six to eight 

 inches long, and the margin is coarsely toothed with 

 curved teeth, like those of a circular saw. The 

 nuts are enclosed in large burs. The wood is mainly 

 used for veneer cores, pianos, and doors. The 

 horse chestnut is a different species and is not native 

 to Canada. 



THE BASSWOOD 



The basswood is found from the Atlantic coast 

 westward to southern Manitoba. It is easily dis- 

 tinguished in the summer by its large heart-shaped 

 leaves, yellow flowers, and round hard fruit, about 

 the size of peas. The dark- red, sometimes green, 

 smooth lop-sided or "hump-backed" buds are one 

 of this tree's best distinguishing features in the 

 winter. The wood is light, of fine texture, and is 

 used in cooperage, box-making, and for panelling in 

 carriages. 



THE CONIFERS, OR NEEDLE-LEAVED 

 TREES 



THE PINES 



There are nine species of pine in Canada, three in 

 the east, five in the west, and one crossing the whole 

 northern part of Canada to British Columbia. 

 The pines are divided into two groups; soft or white 

 pines with their leaves in bundles of fives and their 



