THE SEVEN AGES OF A TREE. 



47 



Every tree continually comforts and assists the other 

 trees, which are its friendly enemies. 

 (See figs. 43,44.) 



The purpose of the present chapter 

 is to follow the progress of a forest 

 crop of uniform age from the seed 

 through all the successive phases of 

 its life until it reaches maturity, bears 

 seed in its turn, and finally declines 

 in fertility and strength until at last 

 it passes away and its place is filled 

 by a new generation. The life his- 

 tory which we are about to follow, 

 as it unfolds itself through the course 

 of several hundred years, is full of 

 struggle and danger in youth, restful 

 and dignified in age. The changes 

 which pass over it are vast and full 

 of the deepest interest, but they are 

 very gradual. From beginning to 

 end one stage melts insensibly into 

 the next. Still, in order to study and 

 describe them conveniently, each 

 stage must have limits and a name. 



THE SEVEN AGES OF A TREE. 



A very practical way of naming 

 and distinguishing trees is the follow- 

 ing, which will be used in referring 

 to them hereafter in this discussion. 

 Young trees which have not yet 







reached a height of 3 feet are seed- 

 liiiffs. (See figs. 45-49 and Pis. 

 XXVII, XXVIII.) They are called 



FlG - 43 - A forest tree ; 



deprived of its com- 



panions, slowly dy- 

 in s- A Larch in the 



