GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE TREES 



One summer walk in the deep forest, my 

 friend the doctor, who knows many things 

 besides the human frame, was puzzled at a 

 sturdy tree bole, whose leaves far overhead 

 mingled so closely with the neighboring green- 

 ery of beech and birch that in the dim light 

 they gave no help. First driving the small 

 blade of his pocket-knife deep into the rugged 

 bark of the tree in question, he withdrew 

 it, and then smelled and tasted, exclaiming, 

 "Ah, I thought so; it is the wild cherry!" 

 And, truly, the characteristic prussic-acid odor, 

 the bitter taste, belonging to the peach and 

 cherry families, were readily noted ; and another 

 Sherlock Holmes tree fact came to me ! 



Of other hickories I know little, for the 

 false shagbark, the mockernut, the pignut, 

 and the rest of the family have not been dis- 

 closed to me often enough to put me at ease 

 with them. There are to be more tree friends, 

 both human and arborescent, and more walks 

 with the doctor and the camera, I hope ! 



We of the cold North, as we crack the 

 toothsome pecan, hirdly realize its kinship 

 with the hickory. It is full brother to our 



I7 6 



