~ 
ROTTENNESS WITHIN. VO 
Jar apartment, we find the wood all soft and rot- 
ten, and we may break large pieces off, even with 
the unassisted hands. On rubbing these pieces 
between our fingers, they crumble to powder. 
Had we not seen the green clothing of the 
vigorous branches outside, we could have guessed 
at nothing less, on contemplating the interior, 
than that the old tree was in reality dead. Out- 
side, truly, there is a fair show of strength and 
vigour; but to look within, there is nothing 
but rottenness and fast advancing death. How 
can this be? Can the tree be dead and yet alive 
at the same time ? 
This singular circumstance may be accounted 
for without difficulty. We have already seen, 
that from the very first, in the trees called 
Exogens, the different concentric layers of wood 
were laid on to the tree from without: by this 
it is to be understood that the new wood was 
always added to the outside, it being deposited 
just underneath the bark. Consequently the 
process of growth is chiefly on the outside of 
a tree; the inner portions of it being of use 
chiefly to give stability to the structure, and 
to circulate the various nutritious juices, convey- 
