The Beauty of Trees 
of three blended elements, and it is the 
whole, as such, with which we should strive 
to familiarize ourselves. We must learn, not 
which tints or shapes in the abstract harmo- 
nize with others, but which actual trees are 
harmonious in association. We must learn 
how each one looks in all the stages of its 
growth, at various seasons of the year, and 
under differing conditions of light and shade, 
of nearness and remoteness. If a certain 
tree seems out of place, we must be able to 
say, not merely why we think so, but what 
other tree might better have been chosen. 
And when a spot is to be planted we must 
be able to picture to ourselves how it should 
be filled, not in vague harmonies of abstract 
hues and shapes, but in definite mental por- 
traits of available trees. 
Too often a much lower degree of knowl- 
edge than this is thought all-sufficient. Too 
often it is supposed that, when one can rec- 
ognize the trees he most commonly meets 
and call them by name, he really knows 
them. But he does not unless he can see 
them, so to speak, when he does not see 
them — unless he can remember and ap- 
265 
