49 



long observed that the tree was nourished 

 principally by the juices circulating between 

 the bark and wood. 



Experiments have been made in different 

 countries ^ascertain how trees were nou* 

 rished and received their increment ; but 

 none of these, so far as I know, were con- 

 clusive, or could possibly be so. These 

 experiments were, barking the trees ; by 

 which it was found that the trees all died in 

 three years after. But this, so far from 

 warranting their conclusion, (that the trees 

 are nourished solely from the bark, and re- 

 ceived their increment by the periligneum 

 being every year converted into, and conso- 

 lidated with, the rest of the wood,) that it 

 sets it completely aside ; because, if the 

 trees had been nourished solely by the bark, 

 they could not have lived three years ; and 



G 



