FOEEST TREES AND FOREST SCENERY 



— according to the nature of their en- 

 vironment. They clothe the tree in 

 profusion, but do not hide the beauty 

 of the ramification of its branches. In 

 truth, they are not devoid of beauty 

 themselves. It was natural for Lowell 

 to exclaim, — 



A little of thy steadfastness, 



Rounded with leafy gracefulness, 

 Old oak, give me. 



While the leaves of the white oak do 

 not deflect and curve as much in their 

 growth as those of some of the more 

 graceful and elegant trees, they never- 

 theless fall into natural and pleasing 

 groups, unfolding a pretty variation as 

 they work out their patient spiral as- 

 cent, leaf after leaf, round the stemlet; 

 showing a changefulness in the sizes of 

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