SOUTH-WEST WINDS BLIGHTING. 161 
the coast, directly exposed to these blasts. Its 
effects are also commonly exemplified on laurels 
and on other evergreens in similar spots, while 
those trees and shrubs situated near, but on high 
sround have been found exempt from this disaster. 
In the opinion of some persons, this blight is pro- 
duced by the efficacy of saline particles carried by 
these winds from the ocean, but besides the freedom 
of salt in such small portions, from the active quality 
here attributed to it,—causticity I presume, itis only 
requisite to remind the abettors of this idea that 
since the south-west wind prevails for probably 
nine months of the year, this effect ought to be re- 
marked on a very large scale and not limited to 
occasional blights. Salt however is conveyed in 
tolerable quantity in the spray wafted inland by the 
sea breezes, and at the distance of a mile from 
the shore it has been seen collected on the windows 
of houses. Other persons again, talk of insects being 
generated by, and conveyed by these winds, and so 
deposited on the blossoms and fated portions of 
_ trees, &c. It is unfortunate however for this hypo- 
thesis that since south-westerly winds have their 
origin on the surface of the ocean they cannot by 
possibility be the vehicle of insect life. There are 
some winds and some conditions of the air peculi- 
arly favorable to the development of insect beings, 
and in which only indeed they are called forth to 
enjoy theirexistence:—a brisk current of air getting 
up at that juncture will convey armies of this insect 
blight to distant spots, and so give the semblance 
of cause and effect being appreciably concomitant. 
Kasterly winds are, as I have once said, blighting 
during the colder months by their inducing pinching 
frost, a very powerful and generally acknowledged 
agent in restraining and suppressing the vitality of 
vegetables, and particularly some few species, 
amongst which ranks the hardy spruce fir. South- 
Vv 
