JUNE. 
187 
is very abundant^ and burns well^ and with a strong heat. 
Perhaps we use as much maple as beech^ but these two form 
nearly the whole of what is consumed. The wood of the 
beech somewhat resembles that of the maple, but may be 
distinguished from it, by being redder^ and by the medullary 
rays being broader and coarser in appearance ; the ends of 
these form innumerable short dashes on the outer part of 
any section of the wood, which distinguish it from that of 
any other tree. It wants too the bright play of light that 
makes maple wood so beautiful. It is heavy in proportion 
to its bulk. When young, the sugar maple often bears great 
resemblance to the beech, before its bark has become fur- 
rowed^ but the leaves in summer^ and in winter the taper 
twigs and pointed buds^ and an appearance of superior 
hardness in the bark of the beech,, (which can be seen^ but 
not described,) are a sufficient distinction. This tree grows 
to a majestic size and height, and its fruit affords sustenance 
to squirrels, and other wild animals. 
We have now observed the gradual unfolding of the buds 
of all our forest trees : some, forward and fearless of late 
frosts, expand their incipient leaves or tender blossoms to 
the fickle sun of April; others^ more sober and cautious, 
have suffered day after day to pass over, apparently unin- 
fluenced by the increasing warmth of the solar rays ; but all 
have at length yielded to the resistless influence of the genial 
spring ; and greenness^ the cheerful livery of the summer, 
will speedily envelope all the vegetable progeny of nature. 
Why one plant unfolds its leaves so many weeks before 
another^ exposed to the same influences of light and heat, 
we cannot tell : we observe facts ; but when we presume to 
inquire why these things are so, we are baffled and repulsed : 
in some cases we can penetrate to second causes, but the 
primary cause must be referred to the will of the Father of 
all; who^ we may be assured^ appoints the seasons, and 
