APRIL. 99 



covering many years, and of my ramble of yesterday par- 

 ticularly, are that not only the white oak, but several 

 other species, do retain their leaves, or a considerable per- 

 centage of them, until early in May of the next year. 

 Take any oak grove in this neighborhood, and I think it 

 will be found, if the trees are not too crowded for healthy 

 growth, that fully three fourths of them retain from one 

 tenth to one half of their leaves. But when we come to 

 consider single trees, this habit of leaf -retention will be 

 found one of many curious features. For instance, I know 

 of many single trees, both oaks and beeches, that have a 

 single limb that will retain its foliage the winter through, 

 while the other branches are bare from November to May. 

 Again, a tree that stands upon the edge of a wood will 

 hold its leaves on the open, light, and airy side, and drop 

 those that grew upon the shaded limbs. Does the greater 

 vigor of the foliage upon the sunny side explain this ? 



In one of my upland fields there stands a thrifty scar- 

 let oak that is noticeable for the beauty and density of its 

 foliage. In October the deep green becomes a rich ma- 

 roon, and later, a lighter and brighter red, and not until 

 nearly New Year's has the ruddy tinting given way to 

 brown. Even then the tree remains a prominent object, 

 and is, indeed, even for an oak, one among a thousand. 

 For the past fourteen years this tree has never failed to 

 retain nearly all its leaves, although in that time there has 

 been every variety of summer and winter that even the 

 powers in charge of our capricious climate could invent. 



On examination of the oaks near by, it has seemed to 

 me that they all have a tendency to retain their leaves, 

 and the measure of success in each case is due principally 

 to the exposure of the tree and its general vigor. Here I 

 may be wholly at sea, and only too glad to be informed 

 correctly if in error. 



What I have Said of oaks applies equally to the beech. 



