There are two kinds of _leaves_, often both kinds being found on the
same tree. The commoner kind is dark green, minute and scale-like,
clasping the stem in four ranks, so that the stems appear square. The
other kind, often appearing on young growth or vigorous shoots, is
awl-shaped, quite sharp-pointed, spreading and whitened beneath. The two
kinds of _flowers_, appearing in February or March, are at the ends of
the twigs on separate trees. The staminate trees assume a golden color
from the small catkins, which, when shaken, shed clouds of yellow
pollen. The _fruit_, ripening the first season, is pale blue with a
white bloom, 1/4 inch in diameter, berry-like with sweet flesh. It is a
favorite winter food for birds.
The _bark_ is very thin, reddish-brown, peeling off in long, shred-like
strips. The tree is extremely irregular in its growth, so that the trunk
is usually more or less grooved.
The _heartwood_ is distinctly red, and the sapwood white, this color
combination making very striking effects when finished for cedar chests,
closets, and interior woodwork. The wood is aromatic, soft, strong, and
of even texture, and these qualities make it most desirable for lead
pencils. It is very durable in contact with the soil, and on that
account is in great demand for posts, poles and rustic work.
The arbor vitae or northern white cedar, _Thuja occidentalis_ L., is
found occasionally on the bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan, on the
cliffs of Starved Rock, in Elgin City Park, and in bogs in Lake
County. The leaves are aromatic, scale-like, 1/8 inch long, arranged
to give small flat branches. The fruit is a cone 1/2 inch long. The
wood is light, soft, durable, fragrant, and pale brown.
+QUAKING ASPEN+ _Populus tremuloides_ Michx.
THIS is one of the most widely distributed trees in North America. Its
range goes from Labrador to British Columbia and from New England and
New York far south in the Rocky Mountains to Arizona. In Illinois it is
common in the north, but of infrequent occurrence in the south.
[Illustration: ASPEN