tree fulfills its mission only when
surrounded by proper conditions, so, also, must the child be provided
with the conditions which will help him to bring forth fruit in the
Christian life.

The illustration here given possesses the unusual qualities of
entertainment for the very littlest children of the school, of
enlightment for the juniors and intermediates and of personal appeal
to the seniors and adults--especially those visitors who may be
attracted on the occasion of Children's Day. The use of the colored
chalk makes the picture especially attractive.

~~The Talk.~~

[Before beginning the talk, draw the bare limb in brown.] "What is
this? A dead branch, did you say? Perhaps. Perhaps not. We are
supposed to be looking at it in the winter time, and, of course, it
isn't real easy at first to tell whether it is dead or merely
sleeping; but if we examine it closely we can tell, because the
leaf-buds are formed in the autumn, and if the limb is alive we shall
find the little leaf-buds there. [Examine the branch.] Yes, the branch
is alive, for the little leaf-buds are clustered everywhere, waiting
to burst forth into full-grown leaves. [As you speak, touch the limb
here and there with green and then draw the clusters of full-grown
leaves.] And here, too, I find some little pink buds, and a little
later they open into pretty flowers, for this is the limb of an apple
tree. [Add the flowers, completing Fig. 94.]

[Illustration: Fig. 94]

"And then, as time goes on, we witness another interesting change,
because God intends that the tree shall do more than bear leaves and
flowers. We find that the pretty pink flowers which have filled the
air with their fragrance and gladdened our eyes with their beauty have
gone away, and in their places have come little green apples. [With
green chalk draw the green apples just large enough to cover the
blossoms.] Green apples are good things--to leave alone, so we will
not pick them. We will watch and see them change into something else.
[With red chalk draw the large ripe apples, covering up the green
surface. This completes Fig. 95. If the green doesn't disappear
entirely, it doesn't matter. It is well, however, in drawing the green
apples, to use as little of the color as possible.] And now we have
the ripened fruit of the apple tree.

[Illustration: Fig. 95]

"This part of the story is for the little boys and girls. But we must
say a word also to the boys and girls of the