£0S DESCRIPTIOM or THE fIRI. 



feel, that a large raagnifier alone could prove it the same : 

 for instead of that hard and harsh substance, it Is soft, 

 smooth » and pleasant to a great degree. But when I came 

 to dissect the firs, instead of finding a few rows of this 

 matter, there were 40 or 50, making two or three tenths of 

 an inch in thickness ; it was become so soft in every respect, 

 that it serves for bread in some countries. Though so 

 thick it will turn round the finger with the utmost ease, 

 and is far more succulent, more oily, and of a more beauti- 

 ful wliite colour, than this matter in auy other treee 1 have 

 ' mentioned. 



Use of ibis From all those observations, I think \may notice the con- 



mauar. elusions I have drawn from these data, without being ac- 



cused of giving way to imagination. 1 am persuaded, that 

 this matter, placed in this situation in the tree, is intended 

 to guard the albumen from being steeped in this softening 

 liquid, and therefore never gaining the strength requisite to 

 it: that the matter thus placed shows the effect of this tan- 

 ning principle by the extraordinary changes of its appearance: ' 

 and that the conclusion naturally to be drawri from the whole 

 is, how much stronger musjt the tanning prmciple be in the 

 lirs, when nature is forced to have recourse to such an expe- 

 pedient, in such a treble guard ; and how strong must the 

 juices be, which have produced so astonishing an alteration, 

 for the wood can only be compared to beautiful white leather. 

 Why this matter should tear off with the bark, and leave the 

 wood, is easily explained, as is also the reason why at this 

 time the bark comes off at all. It is in the spring and fall, % 

 that the new albumen shoots; and it is then so soft and 

 watery, and its vessels, if formed at all, so weak, that the 

 smallest effort separates them. Indeed, at^ first it is only 

 a collection of the sap to form the albumen ; and they of 

 course then fall apart. 

 Wood in other As to the vvood of the pines, it is nearly the same as in 

 trees. any other trees; composed from the depositions of anew 



row each year. 



~ .^ . I shall n9vv show the fructification of the pines. There 



of ihe i»ine«. is perhaps no seed, where nature so plainly and openly ex- 

 poses her whole process, as in this tribe of plants. So evi- 

 dently iudeed does she develope them to the view of the at- 

 tentive. 



I 



