20 Bulletin of the Unversity of Texas 
anceship with it. It serves merely as our introduction. An inti- 
mate acquaintance depends on a knowledge of its distribution, 
family relationship, characteristics, soil and water requirements, 
products, economic or horticultural value—in short, all that may 
be learned about it. The writer hopes that no one will be found 
who retains the hopeless attitude that to know more about 
plants eauses a lessening of our appreciation of thei beauty... 
HOW TO USE THE KEY 
The number of species which occurs in our tree flora is so 
great that descriptions alone would not enable the beginner to 
deterniine the name of a tree without long and tedious effort, 
which in the end would frequently prove uncertain. Accord- 
ingly, the key has been arranged in such a way that if followed 
step at a time the investigator may arrive at the proper de: 
scription with relative ease and accuracy. Suppose, for example, 
I. Outlines and Bases of Simlpe Leaves. 
VOO@ 
OV 
1-4 einen, Di Lanceolate lance- -shaped). 3. Oblong. 4, Elliptic. 
5. Oval. 6. Ovate Coste shaped). 7. Oblanceolate. . Spatulate 
(spatula-like). 9. Obovate (reversed ovate). 10. eae (wedge- 
shaped). 
one wished to find the name of the American elm. The first 
choice to be made is between ‘‘leaves needle, scale or awl-like; 
fruit a cone of dry scales or a berry-like cone,’’ and ‘‘leaves with 
expanded blades, fruit not as above.’’ This choice is easily 
made in favor of the latter. Under ‘‘I,’’ leaves compound, or 
‘TT,’ leaves simple, the beginner will find it necessary to consult 
the glossary and illustrations to determine just what is meant by 
