SECT. I. WOUNDS. 481 



to develope its parts, or a peculiar and higher degree 

 of elaboration ; and that this hasty production is 

 only the effect of a great effort of the vital principle 

 for the preservation of the individual, and one of 

 those wonderful resources to which nature always 

 knows how to resort when the vital principle is in 

 danger. 



SUBSECTION IX. 



Destruction of Leaves. Sometimes the leaves 

 of a tree are destroyed partially or totally as soon 

 as they are protruded from the bud, whether by the 

 depredations of caterpillars or other insects, or by 

 the browsing of cattle. But if the injury is done 

 early in the spring, new leaves will be again pro- 

 truded with subsequent shoots. This I observed in 

 the case of a small Roan-tree that had been totally 

 stripped of its leaves by the browsing of a cow ; but 

 new leaves were soon afterwards produced, as well 

 as new shoots, though the tree had been transplanted 

 both early in that spring, and in the spring preced- 

 ing. The shoots were but short, and the leaves 

 were protruded from buds not so forward as those 

 that were first developed, and which would, per- 

 haps, not have been developed that season except 

 for this accidental defoliation. Some trees will bear 

 to be stripped even more than once in a season, as 

 is the case with the Mulberry-tree which they cul- 

 tivate in the south of France and Italy for the pur- 

 pose of feeding the silk-worm. But if it is stripped 

 VOL. ii. 2 i 





