OBSERVATIONS ON VEGETABLES. 299 



boughs, and is tending to decay. Mr. Marsham computes, that at 

 fourteen feet length this oak contains 1000 feet of timber. 



It has been the received opinion that trees grow in height only by 

 their annual upper shoot. But my neighbour over the way, whose 

 occupation confines him to one spot, assures me, that trees are expanded 

 and raised in the lower parts also. The reason that he gives is this : 

 the point of one of my firs began for the first time to peep over an 

 opposite roof at the beginning of summer ; but before the growing 

 season was over, the whole shoot of the year, and three or four joints of 

 the body beside, became visible to him as he sits on his form in his 

 shop. According to this supposition, a tree may advance in height 

 considerably, though the summer shoot should be destroyed every year. 



WHITE. 



FLOWING OF SAP. 



If the bough of a vine is cut late in the spring, just before the shoots 

 push out, it will bleed considerably ; but after the leaf is out, any part 

 may be taken off without the least inconvenience. So oaks may be 

 barked while the leaf is budding ; but as soon as they are expanded, the 

 bark will no longer part from the wood, because the sap that lubricates 

 the bark and makes it part, is evaporated off through the leaves. 



WHITE. 



RENOVATION OF LEAVES. 



When oaks are quite stripped of their leaves by chaffers, they are 

 clothed again soon after Midsummer with a beautiful foliage : but 

 beeches, horse-chestnuts and maples, once defaced by those insects, never 

 recover their beauty again for the whole season. WHITK. 



ASH TREES. 



Many ash treea bear loads of keys every year, others never seem to 

 bear any at all. The prolific ones are naked of leaves and unsightly ; 

 those that are steril abound in foliage, and carry their verdure a long 

 while, and are pleasing objects. WHITE. 



BEECH. 



Beeches love to grow in crowded situations, and will insinuate them- 

 selves through the thickest covert, so as to surmount it all : are there- 

 fore proper to mend thin places in tall hedges. WHITE. 



SYCAMORE. 



May 12. The sycamore or great maple is in bloom, and at this season 

 makes a beautiful appearance, and affords much pabulum for bees, 

 smelling strongly like honey. The foliage of this tree is very fine, 

 and very ornamental to outlets. All the maples have saccharine juices. 



WHITE. 



