10 



Our Field and Forest Tree" 



maple awakens, the stir of life within the seed 

 brings the wing up on end. The strap-shaped 

 leaves uncoil, and burst the shell which has en- 

 closed them, showing a membrane which has been 

 the inner coat of the seed. Soon this 

 too is ripped apart, and the strap- 

 shaped pennants unfurl, disclosing the 

 pair of true maple leaves between 

 them. 



The strap-shaped leaves are thick 

 and succulent. The crimson leaves 

 are delicate and fine, and anyone who 

 watches a maple begin life soon sees 

 the reason for this difference. For as 

 the young tree pushes upward, put- 

 ting forth a second pair of delicate 

 maple leaves, and then a third, the 



strap-shaped affairs ^.^ g a, The acorn bisected. 



grow limp and yellow g-x'Sf It^^enf^^ S^''^^^ 

 and shrink away; they '""^ °^ "''= "'" "'"^■"• 

 are leaves which have changed their nature and 

 become storehouses for food. 



Mother oaks and beeches, through many days 

 of sun and shower, gather and treasure a store 

 which is laid away in the swelling seeds to feed the 

 oak and beech seedlings of another year. 



And after all their pains a host of hungry ani- 

 mals — squirrels and rabbits, pigs and turkeys, as 

 well as mice and men — devour the store. With 

 it, quite incidentally, they swallow the little trees 



