STOERS AGKICULTUEAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 325 



The characters of the bud-scales of most importance are tlie 

 shape, the numljer visible in the unmutilated bud, their arrange- 

 ment — whether alternate or oi)po.sile — and the number of ranks 

 t]u\y form on the bud. 



FRUIT — Tlie fruit generally forms a good means of identifi- 

 cation when it can be found. Unfortunately there are a number of 

 limitations to its use for this purpose. In the first place many 

 species of trees do not fruit every year, and it nuiy happen that the 

 dX--^--SG species under examination is not in its fruiting 

 period and consequently all tlie trees of the region 

 will fail to show fruit. Again, in some species 

 such as Hie Ash tlie sexes are separate and con- 

 sequently onlv female li'ees can ever Ije expected 

 t(j bear IVuit. Tlic fi'uit generally does not I'c- 

 main on tlie tree throughout the ^\-inler but if the 

 tree is siilHciently isolated from other species, a 

 careful search on the ground will often Lie re- 

 warded by the finding of specimens of fruit that 

 one can i'eel sure came from the tree in question. 

 However, some species such as Hie Poplars and 



Fig. s— 'Iwig of :Mu1 



,,^^^y the Eed and Silver Jlaples scatter their fruit 



'''^Jtailm'taken'fo? ^arly in spring, and fruiting material of such 

 sc-re"f"p'rn'n'iug ^OYwi?, \\\ conscquencc is not to be looked for in 



■rea[ lermmai' bud winter. Tlic immature fruit of some species 



and tip of twig. ^^^^, Y,Q found ou the tree in winter and be of 

 value in identification. Thus the presence of young acorns on 

 an Oak in winter shows that it belongs to the Black Oak group. 

 The staminate llowering clusters are of similar diagnostic value in 

 certain groups, their presence or absence, for example, separating 

 the American Hornbeam from the Hop Hornbeam. 



COMPARISONS— Under this heading are contrasted the 

 ditferent species that are considered likely to be confused. It is 

 l)elieve(l that the information in this section will prove more 

 valuable to one with some knowledge of trees than the more 

 detailed descriptions first given. 



DISTEIBUTIOK— The habitat first discussed under this 

 heading shows in what kind of locations as to soil, moisture and 

 exposure the species normally grows. The information may be of 

 identificational value liv elimination. Thus if one finds a cedar-like 



