28 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 



matter of observation that young and vigorous individuals shared 

 the same fate as the mature and senile instances of growth)^ like a 

 displacement of "race" in higher planes of life, and a new depar- 

 ture. This allusion, as we above remarked, brings to mind a some- 

 what similar blight in forest growth, which was, in or about the year 

 1848, experienced over a rather extensive area in the Township of 

 South Norwich, County of Oxford. In that year or the year follow- 

 ing many hundred acres of thriftily growing pine trees were sud- 

 denly invaded by the larvae of a moth. The resinous, needle-like 

 foliage was consumed by the caterpillars, which were about three- 

 fourths of an inch in length, and plumed with a waving growth of 

 cotton down. The said pine tree leafed out no more, and over 

 several thousand acres there was soon a dreary sight of withering 

 dead trees, a source of immense loss to individuals, and perhaps to 

 the community. 



A curious coincidence was spoken of at the time, as the news- 

 papers of the day contained promiscuous statements that a similar 

 unwelcome insect visitation had just overtaken large strips of the 

 Black Forest region in Germany with similar destructive results, as 

 was then feared and was verified in the sequel. 



And now owners of forest lands in this Township of Burford 

 are asserting that what are left of our ancient beech areas are show- 

 ing signs of speedy death from natural causes, and are being swiftly 

 removed for fuel purposes ere total loss results from rapid timber 

 decay. And probably the thinning of the beech groves for their 

 conversion into wheat fields was a main cause or factor in the 

 extinction of the myriads of wild pigeons, which were up to the year 

 1874 such an interesting feature in Canadian ornithology. 



Arborists of experience now assert that the elm and the maple 

 and the native pine are the kinds of trees that evince the best power 

 of adaptability to changed environment, to which test the white ash 

 may be added as a vigorous grower and a producer of valuable 

 timber material, and that this tree is quite tenacious of life after 

 transplantation some of us have had convincing personal experience. 



In our primitive forests in the Burford timbered region (as dis- 

 tinguished from the Burford plains), as also in Oxford County and 

 Middlesex, instances of large-sized butternut trees were not infre- 

 quent. Hickory growths were not uncommon, and also, but more 



