HOW TO IDENTIFY TREES


There are many ways in which the problem of identifying trees may be
approached. The majority attempt to recognize trees by their leaf
characters. Leaf characters, however, do not differentiate the trees
during the other half of the year when they are bare. In this chapter
the characterizations are based, as far as possible, on peculiarities
that are evident all year round. In almost every tree there is some one
trait that marks its individuality and separates it, at a glance, from
all other trees. It may be the general form of the tree, its mode of
branching, bark, bud or fruit. It may be some variation in color, or, in
case of the evergreen trees, it may be the number and position of the
needles or leaves. The species included in the following pages have thus
been arranged in groups based on these permanent characters. The
individual species are further described by a distinguishing paragraph
in which the main character of the tree is emphasized in heavy type.

The last paragraph under each species is also important because it
classifies all related species and distinguishes those that are liable
to be confused with the particular tree under consideration.



GROUP I. THE PINES

[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Twig of the Austrian Pine.]

How to tell them from other trees: The pines belong to the _coniferous_