206 



THE NATURE BOOK 



ALDERS- "SHADE MEETING SHADE IN THE 

 REFLECTION OF QUIET WATERS." 



its companion Willows, suggestive of cool 

 shade, somewhat dull and slumberous 

 through days of gloom, but awakening 

 and twinkling in sunshine. 



In autumn the leaves merely darken 

 still more, getting a touch of sombreness 

 before their fall, which occurs later than 

 with most, for the Alders are still green 

 when other trees are glowing in orange 

 and gold, and some are bare. Already 

 are present, hidden away among the 

 leaves, the young flower catkins in pre- 

 paration for the following early spring- 

 time. 



The stem, if divided, raises its separate 

 members direct from the soil of the 

 river bank. The bark is dark in colour, 

 furrowed and scaly. The winter twigs 

 are brown, triangular in section, as are 

 also the rcsthu^ buds. These are placed 

 spirally on prominent bosses, with sup- 

 porting stays passing down the twig. 

 They are all but enclosed in a single 



scale, and for further protection 

 arc coated with a light waxy 

 " bloom." They are distinctly 

 stalked, a unique peculiarity of 

 the Alder among our trees ; though 

 there is some suggestion of stalks 

 to the buds of the wayfaring tree. 

 Here we get a reminder of the 

 fact that these and all buds are, 

 in reality, the first beginnings of 

 branches, that they were more 

 correctly thought of as cradled 

 twigs than as cradled leaves. That 

 the buds of the Alder are truly 

 stalked may be seen from the 

 position of the leaf-scar, at the 

 base of the stalk. Buds which 

 on many trees terminate dwarf 

 shoots have the appearance of 

 being stalked, notably on the 

 Beech, but in these the scar will 

 be found just under the bud on 

 the top of the stalk, whilst the 

 stalk below will show a series of 

 crowded scars. There are no such 



TRUNK AND UAKK OF THE ALDER. 



