256 



Growth of Trees in exposed Situations. 



tain if they were still in existence (see his answer, Vol. XII. 

 p. 553.), and afterwards to engage the elegant and accurate pen 

 and pencil of Mr. M'Nab, jun., to prepare for us the preceding 

 paper. 



We should be much obliged to any of our readers, who may 

 know of similar anomalies in the spruce fir, if they will send us 

 an account of them ; and, if any one can throw any light on the 

 curious facts lately discovered respecting the vitality of the 

 stumps or stools of the silver fir (as noticed p. 142. and p. 234.), 

 we shall be greatly obliged by their doing so without delay. We 

 are informed that, in many cases, particularly the fir woods in 

 the north of Scotland, the stumps of the common Scotch pine 

 retain their vitality for several years. On this very interesting 

 topic we should feel extremely obliged for a statement of facts. 

 — Co7id. 



Art. V. 



On the Groivth of Trees in exposed Situations. 

 By T. Davis. 



I HAVE heard persons in the west of England express surprise 

 that they occasionally see large old trees on the summits of hills, 

 and in other exposed situations, with fine spreading heads, re- 

 sisting every wind that blows ; whilst, in their immediate vicinity, 

 young trees of the same kind bow their heads so regularly away 

 from the prevailing wind, that they denote only too plainly the 

 point of the compass on which lies the great Atlantic. 



I believe many gentlemen have been deterred from planting 

 pouits of land, where trees and woods would be highly orna- 

 mental to their residences, by the persuasion of their senses, that 

 neither clumps nor trees could flourish in the degree or the 

 manner in which these ancient landmarks appear to have done. 

 It is lor the encouragement of such timid planters that I offer 

 the following observations; and, in explanation thereof, I shall 

 add a few slight sketches. 



My attention was directed to this subject, about twenty-five 

 years ago, by an avenue of beech trees planted on a sandy 

 eminence. We had grown up as striplings together ; and, as 

 they were within a mile of my then residence, I saw them often. 



Up to that time, their growth 



had been somewhat like fg. 



93. ; their heads, by a simul- 

 taneous bearing, all leaning 



from the south-west wind. At 



the time above alluded to, I 



noticed several of these trees 



pushing out a bough in the 

 very teeth of the wind {fg. 94.). 



