2/8 THE LARCH. 



can foresee what is to happen, so none can entirely 

 prevent it ; but, as already fully explained, drying the 

 ground and rendering it fit for the roots spreading 

 and maintaining their vitality, are helpful means of 

 preventing the uprooting or blowing down of trees. 

 When it is foreseen by the upheaving of the roots that 

 a tree is in imminent danger of being blown down, 

 a few large stones should be laid over the upheaving 

 mass, and when this is properly done, it is wonderful 

 how it protects the tree. The same means employed 

 to prevent trees from being blown down are equally 

 efficient in sustaining uprooted ones after having been 

 set up again. By the heaving of the ground the stones 

 gradually sink into it, and so embed themselves as 

 greatly to secure the stability of the trees ; and if the 

 stones are only heavy enough, success is certain. 



Eighteenth. Eeference has frequently been made to 

 the tenacity of life of the roots, and to the circum- 

 stance that no tree will come so near the point of 

 death and perfectly recover itself as that of the larch. 

 Trees and also plantations have from time to time 

 been left as dying testimonials, and yet have greatly 

 surprised many by their complete recovery. I saw a 

 tree lately which at fifteen years' growth had been 

 so covered with blister as all but to extinguish its 

 vitality, and it is now (fifty years old) growing fast, 

 and in every way quite healthy; and this circum- 

 stance so far qualifies the saying that it is much more 

 common to see a dying than a dead larch. On some 

 soils the trees are seriously affected with trunk-rot — 



