Trees and their leaves—Eatable Plants—Practices and games connected with Plants—Books about Plants.
TREES.
Although they are not animals, trees are things about which scouts should know something. Very often a scout has to describe country which he has seen, and if he says it is "well-wooded" it would often be of great importance that the reader of his report should know what kind of trees the woods were composed of.
For instance, if the wood were of fir or larch trees it would mean you could get poles for building bridges; if it were palm trees you know you could get cocoa-nuts (or dates if they were date palms), and the palm juice for drinking. Willow trees mean water close by.
Or if pine woods or sugar bush or gum-trees it would mean lots of good fuel. And he must know a poplar tree by sight, so as not to use poplar wood in camp if there are any old scouts present—they have a superstition that poplar brings bad luck.
A scout should, therefore, make a point of learning the names and appearances of the trees in his country.
He should get hold of a leaf of each kind and compare it with the leaf on the tree.
Oak.
