information to be obtained from outside sources in regard to
the origin, geographical distribution, hardiness, character of wood,
habits, durability, etc. These four plans of description are more or
less successive methods to be introduced as the work of a class. Pupils
should be induced to carry on their own investigations as far as
possible before going to printed sources for information. A good part of
class work should be devoted to the first three of the methods given,
but the work might finally include the fourth form of composition. The
first two methods should follow each other with each of the trees
studied; that is, one week let a mere outline be written, to be followed
the next week with as clear and connected a description as the ability
of the pupil will allow, and containing as much of the information given
in the outline as possible.

OUTLINE FOR TREE DESCRIPTION.

_The tree as a whole_: size, general form, trunk, branching, twigs,
character of bark, color of bark on trunk, branches, and fine spray.

_Leaves_: parts, arrangement, kinds, size, thickness, form, edges,
veining, color, surface, duration.

_Buds_: position, size, form, covering, number, color.

_Sap_ and _juice_.

_Flowers_: size, shape, color, parts, odor, position, time of blooming,
duration.

_Fruit_: size, kind, form, color when young and when ripe, time of
ripening, substance, seeds, duration, usefulness.

_Wood_ (often necessarily omitted): hardness, weight, color, grain,
markings, durability.

_Remarks_: the peculiarities not brought out by the above outline.

NOTES ON THE FOREGOING OUTLINE.

The height of a tree can be readily determined by the following plan.
Measure the height you can easily reach from the ground in feet and
inches. Step to the trunk of the tree you wish to measure and, reaching
up to this height, pin a piece of white paper on the tree. Step back a
distance equal to three or four times the height of the tree; hold a
lead-pencil upright between the thumb and forefinger at arm's-length.
Fix it so that the end of the pencil shall be in line with the paper on
the trunk; move the thumb down the pencil till it is in line with the
ground at the base of the tree; move the arm and pencil upward till the
thumb is in line with the paper, and note where the end of the pencil
comes on the tree. Again move the pencil till the thumb is in line with
the new position, and so continue the process till the top of the