132 



ETON NATUKE-STUDY 



In simple nature- study, it will be enough to learn the shape and 

 general appearance of the commoner trees, but it may be of interest to 

 carry this work a little further. For instance, it is easy to find out 

 many of the immediate reasons for certain familiar forms, though 

 why the trees have assumed them is a more difficult problem. The 

 varied arrangement of leaves upon twigs has been considered earlier 

 in the book (Chapter V), and as the buds which are to produce 

 new branches arise from practically the same spots as the leaves, it 

 follows that we can make a model to illustrate any method of branch- 

 ing which results. In nature, however, the form of the tree will not be 

 exactly the same as that of the model. Many buds do not develop, 

 branches die, and species which have the same kind of leaf-arrange- 

 ment may look very different owing to the direction in which the 

 twigs grow and the distance between the points from which 

 neighbouring ones spring.* 



* Some interesting suggestions may be obtained from the series of articles by the Kev. 

 W. H. Purchas in volumes ii. and iii. of "Science Gossip." New Series (1895-1897.) 



FIGURE 122. 



FIGURE 123. 



FIGURE 124. 



