TREES OF OHIO J^nJaI 



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We should know trees as we know people; have a 



• speaking acquaintance with many and be intimate with 

 a few. Intimacy can come only from long association, 

 when you will come to know your tree friends by 

 their bark, their buds, their flowers, their fruits, and 

 their shapes, as well as by their leaves. You will also 

 know their habits, the kind of places they frequent, and 

 ^^ the trees they associate with. 



This Pocket Natural History of Trees of Ohio is 

 only an introduction. It gives the common and scien- 

 tific name of each species, a word about the individual 

 peculiarities of each and drawings of the leaves, 

 (occasionally of the fruits) which are the best first- 

 ^fc acquaintance tags. 



Instead of using many different characteristics to 



individualize a species, an effort has been made to find 



and record some one peculiarity that will set a tree 



q apart from other related species. In instances where 



Sj this has not been found practicable, the least possible 



number of distinguishing marks has been noted. 



It is a rule of nature that nothing is more constant 

 „« than variation. This applies especially to the leaves 

 of a tree, no two of which are exactly alike. Some 

 vary more than others. If, therefore, one is in doubt 

 [ about the identification of a tree, he should not depend 

 ~£ upon one leaf, but should examine ten or fifteen leaves 

 taken from different parts of the tree. He should 

 lay them out in a row, discarding the one or two of 

 I ^^exceptional form or size, and make his decision on 

 I^Pthe larger number which more closely resemble one 

 another and which we speak of as typical or as rep- 

 resentative of the species. The freak never represents 

 the group, whether it is among people or among leaves 

 of trees. 



||0 This introduction is based largely on the leaves be- 

 cause they are the easiest means of identification. They 

 may be said to be near the tree all the year, since they 

 are attached for six months or more to the tree, and 

 are often found on the ground beneath during the 

 winter. _ The bark, while distinctive to the skilled ob- 

 server, is as difficult to describe as a person's face. 

 Buds, flowers and fruits, together with the shape or 

 habit of the whole tree, are equally characteristic, 

 but the scope of this little manual forbids extended 

 discussion here. 



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