Under leaves, it will be well to make drawings, both of the outline and of the veining.
Crushed leaves will give the odor, and the sap can best be noticed at the bases of young leaves. The differences in sap and juice need the following words for their description: watery, milky, mucilaginous, aromatic, spicy, sweet, gummy, resinous.
Pupils should not always be expected to find out much about the flowers of a tree, as they are frequently very evanescent, and usually difficult to reach.
The fruit lasts a greater length of time and, usually dropping spontaneously, gives a much better chance for investigation.
Specimens of most of the common woods may be obtained from cabinet-makers and carpenters. In cases where these specimens are at hand, description of the wood should be required. If the school has such specimens as are described in Chapter VI., Part I., the wood in all its peculiarities can be described.
Examples of Tree Description.
Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress).
(Atterbury's Meadow.)
No. 1.
