"Trees are God's Architecture."—Anonymous.

"A Student who has learned to observe and describe so simple amatter as the form of a leaf has gained a power which will beof lifetime value, whatever may be his sphere of professionalemployment."—Wm. North Rice.

PREFACE.

This book has been prepared with the idea that teachers generally wouldbe glad to introduce into their classes work dealing with the realobjects of nature, provided the work chosen were of a character thatwould admit of its being studied at all seasons and in all localities,and that the subject were one of general interest, and one that could betaught successfully by those who have had no regular scientificinstruction.

The trees of our forests, lawns, yards, orchards, streets, borders, andparks give us just such a department. Though many consider a large partof the vegetable kingdom of little importance, and unworthy of anyserious study, there are few who do not admire, and fewer still who donot desire to know, our trees, the monarchs of all living things.

The difficulty in tree study by the aid of the usual botanies liesmainly in the fact that in using them the first essential parts to beexamined are the blossoms and their organs. These remain on the trees avery short time, are often entirely unnoticed on account of their smallsize or obscure color, and are usually inaccessible even if seen. Inthis book the leaves, the wood, the bark, and, in an elementary way, thefruit are the parts to which the attention is directed; these all can befound and studied throughout the greater part of the year, and are justthe parts that must be thoroughly known by all who wish to learn torecognize trees.

Though every teacher is at liberty to use the book as he thinks best,the author, who has been a class teacher for over twenty years, is ofthe opinion that but little of Part I. need be[Pg 4] thoroughly studied andrecited, with the exception of Chapter III. on leaves. The object ofthis chapter is not to have the definitions recited (the recitation ofdefinitions in school work is often useless or worse than useless), butto teach the pupil to use the terms properly and to make them a portionof his vocabulary. The figures on pages 38-43 are designed for classdescription, and for the application of botanical words. The first timethe chapter is studied the figure illustrating the term should bepointed out by the pupil; then, as a review of the whole chapter, thestudent should be required to give a full description of each leaf.

After this work with Chapter III., and the careful reading of the wholeof Part I., the pupils can begin the description of trees, and, as thebotanical words are needed, search can be made for them under the properheads or in the Glossary.

The Keys are for the use of those who know nothing of scientific botany.The advanced botanist may think them too artificial and easy; but lethim remember that this work

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