The Tree Families 



a tree to run it down to its family in the key. The intentness of 

 this exercise will fix on the mind the characters that distinguish 

 the family. You find yourself rolling a leaf between thumb and 

 finger to see if it has the four sharp edges that set the spruces apart 

 from all the others. Or you look intently for the tiny leaf stem 

 of a pale-lined flat leaf, to know whether it is a hemlock or a fir. 



In the grand division AA the broad-leaved trees are set in 

 their proper families. There are more of these than of the ever- 

 greens. They are best studied while leaves are to be had for 

 identification. Often the seeds remain in winter, and we can 

 get on with only the evidence of dead leaves. There are few 

 weeks in the year when the key may not be effectively used on 

 any tramp in the woods. 



As in the evergreens, the local and rare families of broad- 

 leaved trees have been omitted, that the key may not discourage 

 beginners by its complexity. In all, the thirty-three families 

 given include between four and five hundred species, and a large 

 proportion of those left out are esteemed chiefly by the botanists. 

 Many of these will be found described later in this book. 



The key to the families introduces the reader to the more 

 intricate distinctions between trees of various genera and species 

 in the family. The keys to species are made on the same plan. 

 Having determined that a certain tree belongs to the maple 

 family, the inquirer is able to turn to "The Maples," and by the 

 key to decide which of the various species this individual tree 

 represents. This is the final end of any key — to lead the student 

 to discover the name of the individual tree. 



