^gTH liNCLS SAil'S IIATIIRALISTS 



RSLSASn 



'r>d?y..AiDTil 8. 1952 



FOE BROADCAST USE OKLY 



AMJOUIICEl-iENT ; won is our tine with Uncle Saa's Naturalists of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture. Todar '^e have a few suggestions about the 

 woods frora one of cur foresters. 



So sa^'s the poet, and so sn^'s Extension Forester W. R. Mattoon of the 

 United States Forest Service. Only Ilr. Mattoon says it in prose, and with 

 particular reference to the trees. 



Of course, sone of us spend a good bit of time in the woods all the 

 year around. 3ut I guess more folks get the urge to get out into the woods at 

 this time of the year than most any other* liven people who are content to 

 stick around the house or stay in town at other times, seem td be draivn toward 

 the woodland in the spring* Many of iis don't get out for a good long stay in 

 the forest until well along into summer* In the spring* however, we get that 

 hankering to o.t lerst get out rnd cxolore around a little in iThrtevcr wood 'tc 

 can reach. 



And Mr. Liattoon suggests that those w?iO have little knowledge of wood- 

 crr.ft might do well to get better acquainted v/ith the ways of the woods. In 

 fact, he says it is essential that our people i-moT? the importance rjid value of 

 mrny forest tracts of small size that malce up our farm woodlands. 



It is certainly a facinating sxibject once you get into it. Folks who 

 are used to just drinking in the beautiss of Nature without much attention to 

 the details, mi^jlit start by getting acqua.inted with the different kinds of 

 trees. Learn to distinguish the different kinds of trees by some of their 

 well-marked chsjacteri sties of leaf, and bark, and fru.it, and seed, and buds 

 and twig arrangement . 



Of co\\rse, e^'erybody probably loiows some of the trees in their locality, 

 but you will be surprised how many you pass up or don't really know. I know I 

 was. 



Now that sprin.;; is comi;;g up this way and the buds are bursting, don't 

 forget the flowers of the forest trees. As ¥iT, Mattoon points out to me, the 

 flowers of our trees form a clock dial for the advancing year. So, as they 

 bloom in succession, note the blossoms of the willow, the maple, the elm, and 



***** 



"Come forth into the light of things. 

 Let nature be your teacher." 



