IV] WIND AND TREE-FORM 53 



ence of the dense rampart of stunted twigs to the west 

 behind which the buds can develope 1 . The face of this 

 rampart, exposed to the full force of the wind, looks as if 

 it had been sheared : and so it has, in a certain sense, 

 but the pruning action is more properly compared to the 

 nipping out of innumerable buds by the fingers, as in 

 the horticultural operation of " disbudding," than to the 

 actual cutting of shoots already in existence. This ap- 

 parent shearing action extends over the top and for 

 some distance down the eastern side, in proportion as 

 the winds strike downwards, but the result shows that the 

 action is more and more feeble as it descends the long 

 slope. 



The general appearance of the shrub also suggests 

 a mechanical blowing over of the twigs towards the east, 

 and no doubt long continued winds during the season of 

 growth in length do blow over the shoots, but the general 

 resemblance to tresses of hair borne out by the wind is 

 deceptive. 



In the Arctic regions it has been shown that such 

 apparent shearing actions of the dry cold winds occur over 

 all parts of the bushes and trees exposed above the winter 

 covering of snow, and the height of the plants is limited 

 by the average depth of the snow covering during the 

 winter: every twig which projects beyond this covering 

 has its buds killed by drought, not by cold, for although 

 too low a temperature will doubtless kill any bud or 

 shoot if moist, there is no reason to doubt that the twigs 

 and buds of Arctic shrubs such as Birches, Jumpers, Firs, 

 Pines, &c. could svithstand the mere lowering of the 



1 [The preceding description and the accompanying diagrams should 

 not be regarded as giving a general account of the effect of wind upon 

 tree-shape, as I have never met with an example of the type here described. 

 P.G.] 



