THE HAZEL 59 
the advantage to wind-fertilised flowers of blossom- 
ing before the leaves appear. As the two kinds 
of flower in the Hazel often do not come to 
maturity simultaneously, the advantage of cross- 
fertilisation is thus secured. Again, a cluster or 
short spike of flowers (each of which is structurally 
a short branch), surrounded by bracts and sessile 
on a bough, will stand a better chance of keeping 
its place, in spite of spring storms, than a single 
flower. Moreover, the tufted stigmas secure the 
fertilisation. of some of their number. Fertilisation 
acts as a stimulus. The male catkins have per- 
formed their function and have dropped off, so 
nourishment flows towards the female one. In 
order, however, that the fruit may not ripen too 
soon and so fall to the ground and rot before 
the winter’s frosts, it must not develop thus early 
in spring. The food is, therefore, thus employed in 
producing a.branch below the nascent bunch of 
nuts. 
The leaves of the Hazel are three to four inches 
long, broadly ovate, heart-shaped, and somewhat 
one-sided at the base, with irregularly toothed 
edges, a long point, a downy under-surface, and a 
short stalk. In the bud they are folded into 
several longitudinal plaits, and when young are 
bright and pleasing in hue ; but later on they take 
yellow-brown tints of green and a dull woolliness, 
that render the tree heavy as a feature in the 
landscape, except when relieved by the brown stem, 
the pale green clusters of unripe nuts, or their own 
autumnal changes into yellow, dull orange, or red. 
