46 WINTER FIELD MEETING. 



the plant are overtasked, and failing to absorb the water 

 rapidly enough, are killed. This may be illustrated by 

 the common Pelargoniums, or the Rose Geraniums, which, 

 if thawed slowly, may be completely restored to life after 

 being frozen quite hard ; but if thawed rapidly, they are 

 killed by the process. 



The buds and young branches of our trees will also, in 

 their dry winter state, withstand the most intense cold ; 

 but exposed to even a slight frost, after they are filled 

 with sap in spring and growth has commenced, they are 

 at once killed. 



Our New England trees are divided into two very dis- 

 tinct classes : the evergreen and deciduous, divisions 

 which are very nearly natural ones. The evergreens are 

 nearly all Conifers, the exceptions being the Laurel, and 

 some shrubs in the Heath family, one or two Hollies, and 

 a few others, not conspicuous trees. The deciduous 

 trees are nearly all Exogens, the exceptions being among 

 the introduced species, and one shrubby, or vine-like 

 Smilax. The leaves on the Pines and Spruces often 

 remain on the tree three or four years, and are generally 

 shed as the tree begins to grow in the summer. These 

 leaves are needle-like, and very thick in proportion to 

 their width. They become so dense in structure when 

 fully grown, that they are capable of containing but little 

 water, although when first formed in the spring, they are 

 often very succulent. Our New England Conifers are, 

 by many persons, considereu very sombre in appearance, 

 but if not too thickly distributed, they certainly add a 

 variety to our winter landscape. Their absence would be 

 a decided loss ; and in the morning after a quiet fall of 

 damp snow, as the sun shines over them, their beauty 

 makes one almost forgive fate for having placed him in 

 this half-arctic New England climate. 



