56 THE HUMAN SIDE OF TREES 



union-suit. All tree-clothes are both air and water 

 proof. 



When it comes to frills and foibles of dress, even 

 the best gowned ladies must stand aside. All their 

 fads and fancies have a counterpart if not a proto- 

 type in treeland. The idea for many a hat or 

 cloth-pattern is originated by some smartly dressed 

 tree. The southern species, especially, love to adorn 

 themselves. Some, presumably males, swing aerial 

 branch walking canes from half-bent arms. Others, 

 more than likely females, flutter vine festoons in 

 the wind in lieu of ribbons. The trees along Flor- 

 ida's St. Johns River deck themselves with Span- 

 ish moss as with a bride's veil. Certain tropical 

 varieties wear great orchids in their bosoms, or 

 make their own perfume. In the tropics, not a few 

 wear the stiffest form of corsets. They are some- 

 times so laced up with vines as to be half strangled. 



Temperamental trees often harbour frogs, 

 lizards, crickets, and katydids for musicians. No 

 doubt the strange fad of some years ago which 

 tempted society women to wear live lizards on their 

 neck-chains was started by some tree belle. The 

 grand-daddy greybeard tree wears an immense 

 beard in the form of long grey threads which are 

 in reality its blossoms; these threads look for all 

 the world like the grizzled whiskers of some aged 



