Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 11723-h.htm or 11723-h.zip: (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/7/2/11723/11723-h/11723-h.htm) or (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/7/2/11723/11723-h.zip) AMONG THE TREES AT ELMRIDGE BY ELLA RODMAN CHURCH 1886 CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. A SPRING OPENING. CHAPTER II. THE MAPLES. CHAPTER III. OLD ACQUAINTANCES: THE ELMS. CHAPTER IV. MAJESTY AND STRENGTH: THE OAK. CHAPTER V. BEAUTY AND GRACE: THE ASH. CHAPTER VI. THE OLIVE TREE. CHAPTER VII. THE USEFUL BIRCH. CHAPTER VIII. THE POPLARS. CHAPTER IX. ALL A-BLOW: THE APPLE TREE. CHAPTER X. A FRUITFUL FAMILY: THE PEACH, ALMOND, PLUM AND CHERRY. CHAPTER XI. THE CHERRY-STORY. CHAPTER XII. THE MULBERRY FAMILY. CHAPTER XIII. QUEER RELATIONS: THE CAOUTCHOUC AND THE MILK TREE. CHAPTER XIV. HOME AND ABROAD: LINDEN, CAMPHOR, BEECH. CHAPTER XV. THE TENT AND THE LOCUSTS. CHAPTER XVI. THE WALNUT FAMILY AND THE AILANTHUS. CHAPTER XVII. SOME BEAUTIFUL TREES: THE CHESTNUT AND HORSE-CHESTNUT. CHAPTER XVIII. AMONG THE PINES. CHAPTER XIX. GIANT AND NUT PINES. CHAPTER XX. MORE WINTER TREES: THE FIRS AND THE SPRUCES. CHAPTER XXI. THE CEDARS. CHAPTER XXII. THE PALMS. CHAPTER I. _A SPRING OPENING._ On that bright spring afternoon when three happy, interested children went off to the woods with their governess to take their first lesson in the study of wild flowers, they saw also some other things which made a fresh series of "Elmridge Talks," and these things were found among the trees of the roadside and forest. "What makes it look so _yellow_ over there, Miss Harson?" asked Clara, who was peering curiously at a clump of trees that seemed to have been touched with gold or sunlight. "And just look over here," she continued, "at these pink ones!" Malcolm shouted at the idea: "Yellow and pink trees! That sounds like a Japanese fan. Where are they, I should like to know?" "Here, you perverse boy!" said his governess as she laughingly turned him around. "Are you looking up into the sky for them? There is a clump of golden willows right before you, with some rosy maples on one side. What other colors can you call them?" Malcolm had to confess that "yellow and pink trees" were not so wide of the mark, after all, and that they were very pretty. Little Edith was particularly delighted with them, and wanted to "pick the flowers" immediately.