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others grow in the driest wood?, that scarce ever see 

 the sun. Nay, stones and the trunks of trees are not 

 Yoid, but covered with liver-wort. 



The wisdom of the Creator appears no where more 

 than in the manner of the growth of trees.- As 

 their roots descend deeper than those of other plants 

 they do not rob them of nourishment. And as therr 

 stems shoot up so high, they are easily preserved 

 from cattle. Their leaves failing in autumn, guard 

 many planfs against the rigour of winter; and in the 

 summer afford both them and us a defence against 

 the heat of the sun. They likewise imbibe the water 

 from the earth, part of which transpiring through 

 their leaves, is insensibly dispersed, and helps to 

 moisten the plants that are round about. Lastly, the 

 particular structure of trees contributes very much to 

 the propagation of insects. Multitudes of these~ lay 

 their eggs upon their leaves, where they find both 

 food and safety. 



Many plants and shrubs are armed with thorns, 

 to keep the animals from destroying their fruits. At 

 the same time these cover many other plants under 

 their branches, so that while the adjacent grounds 

 are robbed of all plants, some way be preserved to 

 continue the species. 



The mosses which adorn the most barren places, 

 preserve the smaller plants, when they begin to shoot, 

 from cold and drought. They also hinder the fer- 

 menting earth from forcing the roots of plants up- 

 ward in the spring, as we see happen annually to 

 trunks of trees. Hence few mosses grow in southern 

 climates, not being necessary. \ 



Sea-Matweed \villbeariio soil but pure-sand. Sand 

 is often blown by violent winds, so as to deluge as 

 it were meadows and fields. But where this grows, 

 it fixes the sand, and gathers it into hillocks. Thus 

 other lands are formed, the ground increased, and the 

 sea repelled, by this wonderful disposition of nature. 



How careful is nature to preserve that useful plant 

 grass ? The more its leaves are eaten, the more they 



