AN ESSAY ON LONGEVITY. 



6r 



FUNGI live from 7 to 15 days. (Grindon.) 

 Polypori are perennial. 



ALG^. — Fuel and other large forms are perennial. 

 Delesseria sanguinea is annual. 



LICHENES.— ? 



PH.(ENOGAMS. — The majority in severe climates are annuals. Mig- 

 nonette is a shrub in Barbary, and Palma Christi is a tree 

 in India. 



Shrubs live 4 to 5 years. 



Odoriferous sirubs live 10 or more years. (Hiifeland, loc. cit.) 

 e.g. Sage, Balm, Lavender. 



Trees tuith soft wood, e g. Poplar and Willow, live 50 years. 

 (Hufeland.) 



Fruit trees, 60 years. (Hufeland.) 



In the following list, given by Mr. Grindon, the age is estimated by 

 rings of supposed annual growth, which is not a quite trustworthy 

 method ; — 



1 Cercis 300 years. 



? Elm •. 335 



? Ivy 450 



? Maple 516 



? Larch 576 



? Orange 630 



? Cypress .... 800 



? Olive 800 



? Walnut .... 900 



Oriental Plane 

 Lime . , . 

 Spruce . 

 Oak . . 

 Cedar 

 Schubertia 

 Yew . . 

 Taxodium 

 Adansonia 



1000 years. 



1 100 



1200 

 . 1500 



2000 



3000 

 ■ 3200 

 4000-5000 



In the preceding statements the authorities are given. In many cases, 

 the supposed age is only an inference and not an observation at all. 

 This is especially the case with the ages given by Flourens, who made 

 them suit his theory of quintuple ratio. A query is put against the 

 most doubtful and an asterisk against the most soundly based of the 

 statements made. 



