Picture A: The cone that looks a like a berry. The line on one berry is the divide between the scales of the cone. Photo by Robert Dryja

Picture B: Two scales on the top and bottom cover a third scale that is partially covered in the middle of the cone. Photo by Bob Dryja

 Picture C: Two seeds from inside the cone. Photo by Robert Dryja

By ROBERT DRYJA
Los Alamos

“It is a pleasant winter day, sunny and -6 degrees,” Holmes said.

“What! You consider – 6 degrees a pleasant temperature?”  Watson said. “I am used to your peculiarities but – 6 does sound a bit cold for me.”

“Ah, I am used to thinking in centigrade. The English are used to thinking in terms of Fahrenheit. Does 21 degrees sound better to you, Watson? Now let us go a for walk.”

Holmes had been working on Watson’s observation abilities ever since he pointed out that Watson only saw things but did not observe them. This had all begun when Watson could not tell Holmes the number of steps that led up to their apartment flat even after Watson had walked up and down them many times.

The air was indeed crisp and clear as they began their walk, passing low drifts of snow.

“Do you observe anything just now?” Holmes asked.

“I only see some bushes in the snow,” Watson replied.

“I said “observe”, not “see”, Watson.”

Watson now knew Holmes was out to teach him how to observe, not just take a walk outside on a cold winter’s day.

“Well yes.The bushes are growing in a row,” Watson said.

This was the best he could do.

“Ah, and nothing else? Did you note the leaves?”

“Well yes, there are leaves present, but I do not observe anything else.”

“Come now, Watson. What is the color of the leaves?”

“They are colored green, but what is so special about that? Plants have green leaves.”

Holmes gave a sigh.“What month of the year is it? What has the weather been like for the past two months?”

“It is January and the middle of winter. What difference does this make?”

“Watson, how many plants have green leaves in the middle of winter? Are not plants supposed to have brown leaves, if they have not fallen off all together, in the winter?”

Watson now understood what Holmes was observing. They walked over to the green colored bushes for a closer look. Watson now observed something new.

“Why these bushes are covered with blue colored berries, Holmes.I now appreciate that blueberry bushes remain green in the winter and also are covered with fruit.”

Holmes gave another sigh. “Come now. How many blueberry bushes are green and with fruit in the winter? How many of the trees around us are covered with green leaves?”

Watson then realized the green colored bushes with blue colored berries were different from all the other plants. Watson also realized that the bushes did not have leaves but instead had what looked like green colored needles.

“Holmes, this is no ordinary bush. It must be some sort of pine tree if it is green in the winter.”

Holmes smiled.“Very good.  But how many pine trees or pine bushes have blue berries on them?”

Watson now was puzzled. “Pine trees are supposed to have cones, not berries. But these look distinctly like berries.”

Watson then observed the berries more closely and noticed something different. What looked like faint straight lines extended from the top to the bottom of a berry.

Holmes smiled again. “Very good observation. Now imagine a pine cone that still is young and has not yet opened. Also imagine a pine cone that is short in length and so has only one row of scales that extends around it.”

“So the blue berries actually are a kind of pine cone!” Watson exclaimed .

“Yes” Holmes said. “And this curious kind of tree is called a juniper. Let us head back to our flat. Do you remember how steps we will walk up?”