The Seniors of the Forest 275 
chlorophyll-bodies which give the foliage its hue 
lose their vivid color in the autumn and change to 
a brownish-green. 
The pines and hemlocks are most noticeable in 
winter, when there is no other green 
in the landscape and when they are 
contrasted with the snow; but in reality 
their color is more intense in summer. 
For in the first warm days of spring 
the chlorophyll bodies in the needle- 
shaped leaves resume their characteristic 
color, and with it their ‘‘ 
toil.’’ 
activity of 
New-born pine-leaves issue in pairs, 
trios, or fives, from little brown buds, 
which are covered with delicate semi- 
transparent scales. These are regarded | 
as altered “‘ needles,’’ just as the scales Fig, 76.—Leat 
5 : cluster and 
which protect the winter-buds of many nd scales 
of the white 
broad-leaved trees are altered leaves. pine (Pinus 
The new needles of the white pine oe 
(Fig. 76) come into the world in fives. Those of 
the Jersey or scrub-pine are twins, and those of 
the pitch-pine grow in clusters of three. Each of 
our twenty-two native pines is faithful to some old 
family custom in this respect, so that if we count 
