Handbook of Nature-Study · Lesson CCII · Topic 30: Evergreens
202. The pine
Goal: Your child can describe a pine's shape, needles in bundles, cones and seeds, and can tell its kind by the number of needles in a bundle.
You'll need
- A pine tree to visit
- A few needle bundles and a cone
- A hand lens (magnifying glass)
- A ruler
- A nature notebook and a pencil (colored pencils if you have them)
What's in the book
The lesson has a leading thought and ten observations: the shape and "leader," the bark, the branches and foliage, the needles in bundles, the cone, the seed, the flowers and pollen in June, the uses of pine and resin, and drawings to make.
The lesson, step by step
When and where
Any season; June if you want to see the pollen fly. The book says white pine is most interesting, but any pine will do.
The leading thought
The pines are among our most ancient trees. Their foliage is evergreen but is shed gradually. The pollen-bearing and the seed-bearing flowers are separate on the tree. The seeds are winged and are developed in cones.
Shape and leader
Is there one central stem running straight up through the center of the tree to the top.
What is the "leader?" What happens if the leader is injured?
On a young pine, count the rings (whorls) of branches up the trunk. A pine adds about one whorl a year.
Needles in bundles
How many in one bundle? Is the bundle enclosed in a little sheath at the base?
Cut it across and examine it with a lens. What is the outline in cross section?
The cone
Note that it is made up of short, over-lapping scales. What pattern do the scales make as they are set together?
Where in the cone are the seeds? Describe or sketch a pine seed.
Drop a seed with its wing from up high and watch it spin.
Resin
Where does resin appear on the pine? Of what use is it to the tree?
Resin is very sticky. If it gets on hands, rub it off with a little cooking oil, then wash with soap.
Nature notebook
Make the book's drawings:
A bundle of pine needles showing the sheath and its attachment to the twig; the cone; the cone scale; the seed. Sketch a pine tree.
Answers to the book's problems
White pine has five needles in a bundle, pitch pine three, and red pine and Austrian pine two. A pine needle cut across is a narrow wedge or a half-circle, so the bundle fits together into a round rod. If the leader is hurt, a side branch turns up to take its place, often leaving a crook or a double top. Pines shed their oldest needles after a few years. Resin seals wounds against insects and fungi.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.