GETTING AC^AINTED WITH THE TREES 



But we miss, many of us, the flowering of 

 the oaks in early spring, and we do not rea- 

 Hze that this family of trees, most notable for 

 rugged strength, has its bloom of beginning 

 at the other end of the scale, in flowers of 

 delicate coloring and rather diminutive size. 



The reason I missed appreciating the flow- 

 ers of the oak — they are quite new to me — 

 for some years of tree admiration was because 

 of the distracting accompaniment the tree gives 

 to the blooms. Some trees — most of the ma- 

 ples, for instance — send out their flowers boldly 

 ahead of the foliage, and it is thus easy to 

 see what is happening above your head, as you 

 stroll along drinking in the spring's nectar of 

 spicy air. Others, again, have such showy 

 blooms that the mass of foliage only accentu- 

 ates their attractiveness, and it is not possible 

 to miss them. 



But the oak is different; it is as modest 

 as it is strong, and its bloom is nearly sur- 

 rounded by the opening leaves in most seasons 

 and in most of the species I am just begin- 

 ing to be acquainted with. Then, too, these 

 opening leaves are of such indescribable colors 



28 



