156 



THE WALNUT. 



scrambled for by boys, as a sign that he had now 

 laid aside childish amusements, a custom to which 

 frequent allusion is made by the Latin poets. 



The Walnut is a large spreading tree, 'with a 

 rough trunk, and strong crooked branches, which 

 diverge from the main stem, somewhat after the 

 manner of the Oak. The leaves are pinnate, like 

 those of the Ash, but much larger : when young 

 they are tinged with red, and at all periods until 



FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE OF WALNUT. 



they wither, emit a powerful and fragrant per- 

 fume when slightly bruised. The young branches 

 are brittle, and remarkably stout to the very 

 extremity ; the bark on these is smooth and shining. 

 The rudiments of the barren flowers appear early 

 in the summer previous to their expansion, and 



