Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-11-01
Correspondent Essex County Herald
Story Of a Leaf.
NOD.
BIT II. A. c.

llShtiul oil seasons. In them we see
the revival of spring, while their full
Development and perfect verdure
speaks Of the wealth, the ripeness and
the joyful fruition ofsummer. Leav IS
are things of beauty, the different
colors they assu.ae are the true dials
Of the year; pale shades denote its
vernal opening; dark and uniform
shades of green mark the summer (;
while those of gold ,crimson,a and russell
the autumn. They are associated
with our daily life as things of quiet
beauty that lend charm to our enjoy
ment, in such an unobtrusive manner
as to seldom excite an emotion, and
perhaps rot often awaken a thought
of thanks to our Heavenly Father tor
such beauty and usefulness. Their use
fitness in renovating the atmosphere
is not denied by any man of science.
The property OF foliage that requires
carbonic acid gas for its breathing pur-
poses, giving out oxygen in exchange,
is Of vital importance to the animal
creation. Some even assert that our
entire atmosphere is result of vcgit-
able growth. Though we cannot en-
dorse this, we will speak of another
function performed by the leaf, that
shows its part in producing our sum
mer showers, that is the eXhaling of
moisture into the atmosphere after il
has been absorbed by the roots, and
passed through the capillary sap
por s.
A simple experiment will show how
rapidly such evaporation takes place,
Take two cups Of equal size and ill
with water. Insert into one of them
cuttings of plants in leaf, and notice
that in few hours the water has en-.
tirely disappeared from the cub con-
tanning the plants, while the water
in the other cup has not sensibly di-
unfinished. From this experiment
compute in your mind the vast guam
tity eXhaled into the atmosphere by a
single tree. The largest steam boiler
in the world, if kept constantly boil
ing, would not evaporate more water
in a given time than the foliage OF
one large elm. AT q glance you will
see that the ocean would not evapo-
rate as much water from square
mile, as single maple would do, and
we will all admit that the whole earth
would soon become desert if it was
not for this great power of vegeta-
ton.
But it was of leaves l pro missed to
tell you, and l will say that there is
no scene in nature more beautiful
than the autumn woods when they
have attained their brilliant colors.
and no scene more eXhilirating, OF
that inspires the mind with Il brighter
happiness. Far and near from the
wooded Mills is displayed that specta
Gle of gold, scarlet, and purple, rival
ing in tints of beauty any other scene
Many persons believe frost to be the
Inner of the forest thinking it. per
haps, sort Of dyeing material. Oh
the contrary the slightest frost vii
destroy the tints of all leaves touched
by it. Some years, like the present
the beauty Of the forest is nearly ri
ined by the frost before the tim
when they are in their ripened vari
gated condition. The careless oil
server might not notice it, yet it j
very visible. In their meridian
beauty heat will damage their beaut,
as much as frost. A hot and sum
! day the first of October will make a
much havoc with the ash and mapl
as a freezing night. Either wi
cause them TO fade and loose thei
hold upon the branches so that til
fist breeze will sweep them away.
Cool weather without frosts in a,
tumn is necessary to bring out all til
beauty and tints Of coloring in th
forest. AS the leaves ripen ever
species has It's peculiar color or MAI
ner Of variegation. The maple MOI
than all other trees combined, is Il
browning glory Of New Englar
forest in autumn. The leaves OF TIL
tree are frequently variegatcd wi
yellow, red, green, and purple, som
times as handsome as a butterfly
wing, while the oak may be crimso
and scarlet with only Il small tint
purple or yellow. But it Is u5ell.
here to specify what we cannot rul
) describe. Though some trees she
i no rich coloring their peculiar rus
Z tint l. nnnnsSnru To the nIllIInn