TREES AND THEIR METHODS 99 



would surely die, but did not take into account 

 an inherited pluck. Though worse than a cripple, 

 it valiantly put out new shoots from the uninjured 

 side and soon had increased its leaf area sufficiently 

 to give it a new and promising start in life. 



This incident illustrates the marvellous capacity 

 for adaptability possessed by many trees. The ob- 

 stacles they sometimes surmount are truly sur- 

 prising. 



People tell the story of a certain silver maple 

 which was split in two by a lightning stroke. One 

 of the halves was left standing, horribly bruised 

 and maimed. In a few months the exposed wound 

 began to decay hopelessly. Forthwith the tree sent 

 out adventitious roots from the surrounding bark 

 to bolster its waning strength by sapping nourish- 

 ment from its own decaying heartwood. Instead 

 of asking for a transfusion of blood, this plucky 

 maple sucked its own. 



Another maple through some accident lost all 

 its bark and the all-important cambium layer from 

 a short section of its trunk just above the ground. 

 This had the effect of cutting off the upper leaves 

 and branches from the nourishment-giving roots. 

 Quick death would have been the inevitable result 

 had not the resourceful creature at once put out an 

 aerial root from a point just above the wound. 



