MAY. 145 



our aged Elm, and on going to the place found it prostrate ; 

 the blast had come at length and laid it low. 



C. — Is it not dangerous to leave trees in this manner, 

 standing in the open field ? 



F. — Yes ; the roots of our forest trees are very super- 

 ficial, and the branches and foliage being all at a great height, 

 the vvrind has a ^ixowg purchase, as it is called, and they are 

 very liable to be overthrown ; sometimes killing cattle and 

 breaking fences. Even in the forest, when protected by 

 their fellows, trees are often uprooted by the wind : then 

 we can see how very little below the surface the roots ex- 

 tend, forming, as the tree lies prostrate, a perpendicular 

 wall of contorted roots, mixed with earth. 



C. — We can see scores of these in every walk through 

 the woods : the roots often extend to a great width, though 

 to so little depth, and the wall, as you call it, is very high. 



F, — So high that if the trunk be cut off close to the root 

 soon after it has fallen, the weight of the roots will cause 

 them to fall back into their original position. This is often 

 done, as these roots are not only unsightly, but present great 

 obstacles to cultivation after the land is cleared. 



C — I have observed that an elm log that was cut last 

 autumn, is putting forth leaves as if it were still growing in 

 the woods. 



F. — That very often occurs ; in our piles of firewood, 

 cut during winter, you may see many logs during the en- 

 suing spring and summer, not only budding, but actually 

 putting forth leaves which attain considerable size. The 

 sap contained in the log, supports and affords nutriment to 

 the budding twig, for some time after the felling. In the 

 same manner we observe that maple logs cut in winter, con- 

 tinue dry till spring ; then the sap begins to flow freely, and 

 the ends are running and dripping all day. By the way, 



H 



