or obscure color, and are usually inaccessible even if seen. In
this book the leaves, the wood, the bark, and, in an elementary way, the
fruit are the parts to which the attention is directed; these all can be
found and studied throughout the greater part of the year, and are just
the parts that must be thoroughly known by all who wish to learn to
recognize 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 of
the opinion that but little of Part I. need be thoroughly studied and
recited, with the exception of Chapter III. on leaves. The object of
this chapter is not to have the definitions recited (the recitation of
definitions in school work is often useless or worse than useless), but
to teach the pupil to use the terms properly and to make them a portion
of his vocabulary. The figures on pages 38-43 are designed for class
description, and for the application of botanical words. The first time
the chapter is studied the figure illustrating the term should be
pointed out by the pupil; then, as a review of the whole chapter, the
student should be required to give a full description of each leaf.

After this work with Chapter III., and the careful reading of the whole
of Part I., the pupils can begin the description of trees, and, as the
botanical words are needed, search can be made for them under the proper
heads 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 let
him remember that this work was written for the average teacher who has
had no strictly scientific training. We can hardly expect that the great
majority of people will ever become scientific in any line, but it is
possible for nearly every one to become interested in and fully
acquainted with the trees of his neighborhood.

The attainment of such botanical knowledge by the plan given in this
volume will not only accomplish this useful purpose, but will do what is
worth far more to the student, _i.e._, teach him to employ his own
senses in the investigation of natural objects, and to use his own
powers of language in their description.

With hardly an exception, the illustrations in the work are taken from
original drawings from nature by the author. A few of the scales of
pine-cones were copied from London's "Encyclopaedia of Trees"; some of
the Reti