"That gives me an idea," said Miss Miller, as Zan brushed off the gaudily striped spider. "The first afternoon we have to spare from routine plans, we will take up the interesting study of insect life, and learn not to call everything a bug!"
"If we do half the things we hope to accomplish, we'll be the prize Tribe of the Indians!" commented Zan.
"We must always strive for the unattainable. Although we are not aware at the time that our goal is far beyond our capacity to attain, still it is the incentive that makes for progress. Having once obtained what we desired, we are disappointed in the realisation and so keep on striving. Discouragement and laziness, are the two worst enemies that progress ever meet. I think that of the two discouragement is even harder to combat with than laziness. So, with our plans for the summer: we outline far more than we can actually accomplish but it is an incentive and we push onward and upward."
"Who chose the last tree?" called Elena, during the silence that followed upon the little lecture.
"Nita found a Christmas tree," replied Jane.
"That is a pine tree—of the family of abies. Spruce, fir, pine, and others all come under the family name. You will always see a pine tree grow straight up, unless some obstacle turns aside its natural tendency. The pine wood is composed of cells that are filled with piney sap. It is a long-lived tree, there being on record pine trees that are 2,000 years old—a report says some pines in the Holy Land have been found that register an age of 3,000 years. The timber of pine trees is very useful for hardwood building purposes and the sap is used for the manufacture of turpentines, oils and resins. The limbs grow on an almost horizontal line from the tree and the offshoots of the limbs follow the same strange line. The greens form in a flat shape almost like a fan, and when young and tender make the best of camp beds. When a tree is utterly decayed the wood forms pitch and tar."
"And in December, the tree is in great demand by all children for decorative purposes!" added Zan, as Miss Miller finished her discourse.
"Yes, I find I always forget the most important item, or at least Zan thinks so," laughed the Guide.
"My! I never knew so much about wood in my life!" exclaimed Elena.
"Trees, my dear! don't call these magnificent tall giants by so common a name as wood!" corrected Zan.