20S 



THE NATURE BOOK 



to crimson. The pollen -bearing flower 

 cylinders then expand, hang down loose 

 and pendulous, a beautiful bronze, casting 

 their pollen on the winds. The smaller 

 stiff cylinders of the fruit-producing flowers 

 grow "in stalked groups of three to seven, 

 and already have the appearance of tiny 

 reddish cones. In process of transfor- 

 mation these enlarge on lengthening 



hacked and clipped, or as undcr-growth 

 in the coppice, where it is systematically 

 cut down to the stool, it has little chance 

 of attaining size or ])roportion. Nor, 

 indeed, does it evince any marked desire 

 or aptitude in that direction, but rather 

 the reverse. It prefers to maintain itself 

 on a number of stems, and is continually 

 throwing up fresh ones in the shape of 



stalks, and become still more cone-like, 

 woody and green, the size of beans. 



The fniit is contained in this woody, 

 cone-like receptacle, the hard scales of 

 which gape open later to set it free. It is 

 then carried by the wind, or floats upon 



the water, seeking 

 growth. But the 

 will be found on 

 months to come. 



right conditions for 

 hard gaping cones 

 the tree for manv 



THE ILAZEL 



With us the Hazel is seldom allowed 

 to grow into a tree. Founrl usually in 

 our hedgerows, where it is frequently 



strong stool and root suckers. So it 

 must be regarded as a tree that, for 

 reasons of its own, has chosen to adopt 

 the habit of a bush, and best prospers so. 

 We noted a similar tendency in the Alder, 

 and shall find some other trees adopting 

 more or less a like habit. 



In winter should be noted tlu' inunature 

 ]K)ll(>n-l)('aring catkins, stiff brown 

 cylinders, slightly curved, in groups of 

 two or more, growing mostly along the 

 sides of the twigs. For the Hazel, like 

 the Alder, makes preparation for the earliest 

 possible flowering ; but the Hazel is in 

 the greater hurry. A day or two of warm 



