it is difficult to describe it accurately. Some characters are dis- 
tinctive, however, and serve as a ready means of identification; 
such characters are the peeling of the Sycamore and Paper 
Birch, the “shagging” of the Shagbark Hickory, the spicy taste 
of Sassafras bark and the mucilaginous inner bark of the Slip- 
pery Elm. 
‘WOOD.—It is not expected that the information given under 
this heading will be of any particular value in identifying living 
trees. Often, however, the student finds himself in the midst of 
felling operations, when the information concerning the wood is 
of considerable value. 
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT.—To a lesser extent do 
distribution and habitat of a species aid in the identification of a 
tree. It is a distinct aid to know that the Chestnut is native in 
south-eastern Michigan only and that the Mountain Ash does not 
extend south of Ludington. So too, knowing the water-loving 
habit of the Swamp White Oak, we would not expect to find this 
same tree flourishing on the top of a hard, dry hill. 
The characters, then, which are used to identify the trees 
about us are many. Not all will be available at any one time, not 
all have been mentioned in the foregoing pages nor in the manual. 
It is our opinion, ‘however, that the student will not be greatly 
handicapped by this lack of detail, but rather that he will take 
great interest and genuine pleasure in discovering these things 
for himself. 
— XVII — 
