x INTRODUCTION 



or other causes? All these questions and many more relat- 

 ing to the important native and exotic trees commonly 

 found in the states east of the Great Lakes and north of 

 Maryland Mr. Levison has briefly answered in this book. 

 The author's training as a forester and his experience as 

 a professional arboriculturist has peculiarly fitted him to 

 speak in an authoritative and interesting way about trees 

 and woods. 



The value of this book is not in new knowledge, but in 

 the simple statement of the most important facts relating 

 to some of our common trees, individually and collectively 

 considered. A knowledge of trees and forests adds vastly 

 to the pleasures of outdoor life. The more we study trees 

 and the more intimate our knowledge of the forest as a unit 

 of vegetation in which each tree, each flower, each animal and 

 insect has its part to play in the complete structure, the 

 greater will be our admiration of the wonderful beauty and 

 variety exhibited in the trees and woods about us. 



J. W. TOUMEY, 



Director, Yale University Forest School. 

 NEW HAVEN, CONN., 

 June, 1914. 



