ubs growing naturally in the
Forests of Massachusetts. By Geo. B. Emerson, Boston, Little, Brown and
Co., 1875.

This book will be found very useful, containing careful descriptions of
many trees and shrubs, and interesting facts about them.]

QUESTIONS ON THE AMERICAN ELM.

How do the flower-buds differ from the leaf-buds in position and
appearance?

What is the arrangement of the leaves?

What other tree that you have studied has this arrangement?

How old is your branch?

Where would you look to see if the flower-cluster had left any mark?

Why is it that several twigs grow near each other, and that then comes a
space without any branches?

What buds develop most frequently?

How does this affect the appearance of the tree?

What is a tree called when the trunk is lost in the branches?

BALM OF GILEAD (_Populus balsamifera, var. candicans_).

The buds are pointed: the terminal slightly angled, the axillary flattened
against the stem.[1] Some of the axillary buds contain leaves and some
flowers; the appearance of the leaf-buds and flower-buds being the same.
The scales of the bud are modified stipules. The terminal buds have about
three pairs of the outer scales brown and leathery. The inner scales, as
well as the leaves, are coated with resinous matter, which has a strong
odor and a nauseous taste. The smaller outer scales have no corresponding
leaf, and apparently are modified stipules of the leaves of the preceding
year, but the larger ones have a leaf to each pair of scales. The outer
and inner leaves are small, the middle ones larger. Comparing the branch,
it will be seen that these leaves make the largest growth of internode.
The leaves are rolled towards the midrib on the upper face (_involute_).
There are about ten which are easily seen and counted, the inner ones
being very small, with minute scales. The axillary buds have a short
thick scale on the outer part of the bud, then about three pairs of large
scales, each succeeding one enwrapping those within, the outer one brown
and leathery. The scales of the flower-buds are somewhat gummy, but not
nearly so much so as those of the leaf-buds. Within is the catkin. Each
pistil, or stamen (they are on separate trees, _dioecious_) is in a little
cup and covered by a scale, which is cut and fringed.

[Footnote 1: These buds cannot be satisfactorily examined in cross
section, on account of the resin. The scales must be removed one by one,
with a