Some Troubles of the Trees 17 



seeking. There it settles down and grows into 

 a mature plant, launching millions of spores into 

 the forest. If the trunk had been cut as close as 

 possible to the ground, the stump would soon have 

 become covered with earth and moss and thus 

 have been protected from the wandering spores 

 of tree-killers. So we see that tall stumps left by 

 careless lumbermen are not merely wasted timber. 

 They are nurseries for enemies which will soon 

 fly forth, carrying disease into the healthy forest. 



