Chapter VI. 



NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE FOEEST. 



The natural enemies of tlie forest — as distinct from its ImmaTi 

 enemies — fall into tliiee groups: (1) Meteorological, (2) A^ege- 

 table, (3) Animal. 



METEOI.'OLOGICAIv FORCES. 



^Yilld. ''AViiji.lf alls'' are ]iot an uncommon sight in any forest. 

 Frequently onl]' small areas arc blown clown, one large tree upsetting 

 a few others, or again a vast region is destroyed by great storms, 







wirv&^. 





1 Cd'. C ti U M n s n 



Fig, 74. An area of many square miles in Florida covered with 

 long-leaf pine was thus destroyed several years ago. The "slash" 

 thus formed, when well dried, is particularly liable to catch fire and 

 burn furiously. Windfalls are especially common among shallow- 

 ■"ooted trees, as hemlock, basswood and spruce, on sandy soil and on 



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