PREFACE. 



It has been thought by tlif writer, and has frequently hpen remarked by 

 others, that a series of earefidly made ])liotographie illustrations of the fresh 

 leaves, fruits, leafless liranchlets and tyjiical barks of onr various trees would 

 be apjireciated alike by tlie ])rofessional botanist, the less technical nature 

 student, the forester and the lumberman. ]\[y natural interest in the subject 

 and ]")eculiar vocation made tlie task of the ])Teparation of such a work peculiarly 

 invitinfj to me. I am re(|iiired to be much in the field oliservino; the trees, 

 makinir it my personal duty to gatlier the woods used in the publishinj:!; of my 

 A:\IERirAN WOODS — in order that T may be able to vouch for authen- 

 ticity — and tills gives me unusual opportunities. I accordingly entered upon 

 the task with enthusiasm, jjroviding myself with an excellent camera, and adapt- 

 ing it to the ]ieculiar requirements of the work. 



It was not until after much experimenting, as to proper lighting, the elimina- 

 tion of shadow, etc., tliat satisfactory resiilts were obtained. Tlie thought of a 

 measured Ijackground — one ruled into square inches for convenience — 

 occurred as a most satisfactory way of indicating size, which I deemed of 

 greatest inqifirtance, owing to the great range of sizes of the objects wdiich I 

 must show on plates of uniform size. It is hoped that this feature of the work 

 will meet with the approval bespoken for it. 



When once entered upon tlie work it was found that many and various vicissi- 

 tudes nnist be encountered, which would unexpectedly ]jrolong the work. Chief 

 among these were the " off " years, during which a species does not bear fruit. 

 For example: One season I could not find a single tree of the commrm Sugar 

 Ma])lc liearing fruit, thougli T examined many from northern N'cw York to 

 Nortii Carolina and westward to Missouri. One winter not a solitary twig 

 could I find of the Yellow Eirch bearing its dormant catkins, and, naturally, 

 not a tree Ix'aring flowers or fruit the next summer. I scarclied in vain two 

 successive seasons for the ]iistilbite flowers of the common Butternut, so regu- 

 larly did the late frosts of sjudng destroy them, though the staminate flowers 

 appeared annually. 



The sliortness of the period, too, during which the flowers or fruits of certain 

 trees are in tlicir ])rime, or even exist on the trees, has necessitated close watch. 

 The exact time must lie ascertained l>y observation, and if, jiercluincc, I miss it 

 I must wait until another year for another o])portunity. Then T may find it an 

 off year (imagine my disii])])ointment !), and still another year must bo waited. 

 Procuring specimens from lofty tree-tops are trivial ordeals com])ared with 

 instances like these. Add to these vicissitudes the distrilmtion of our trees, 



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