Trees, like most other plants, originate from seed, build up a body
of cell tissues, form foliage, flower, and fruit, and take up food
material from the soil and air, which they convert into cellulose and
other compounds, from which all their parts are formed. They rely, like
other plants, upon moisture, heat, and light as the means of performing
the functions of growth. Yet there are some peculiarities in their
behavior, their life and growth, which require special attention on the
part of a tree grower or forest planter, and these we shall briefly
discuss.