THE PINE TRIBE. 81 



keep on giving way to the young bark ; but that 

 must get old-looking too before it comes up in 

 sight, or else we should see a greater difference in 

 the tree than we do." 



"All these processes take place so gradually 

 that we are unconscious of them, just as we are 

 generally unconscious of the changes going on in 

 our own bodies, where new material takes the 

 place of the old in a very similar manner." 



Eobert held up his fingers to show that some of 

 the skin was peeling off, and that new skin had 

 formed underneath ; upon which Henry compared 

 him to a young birch-tree, whose silvery bark 

 often peels off in long thin slips. " You forget," 

 said Kobert, " that young birch-trees make very 

 good rods," and he began playfully to chastise his 

 brother, when their father called them back to the 

 subject of conversation, by saying, 



" The pine tribe is an exceedingly valuable one, 

 on account of its timber, which is well known, 

 as deal, fir, cedar, &c. There are vast forests of 

 pines in North America, and in some parts of 

 northern Europe. The loftier species make capital 

 masts for ships, while some others, as cedar, cy- 

 press, and juniper, are noted for the extraordinary 

 4. a 



