EFFECTS ON TIMBER. 169 
water on each occasion, until the agriculturist 
finds in the succession of his crops a complete 
extirmination of the annoyance. ‘Two years are 
often sufficient to rid the seed of this “ smut.” 
The moisture of our climate betrays its injurious 
consequences on timber in quite as remarkable a 
way as blight shews zfs peculiar consequences on 
the smaller members of vegetation. The oak appa- 
rently sickens in our South Hams from this cause,— 
it does not exhibit that size and vigorous description 
of growth seen in the dryer and central counties. 
Near the moor however it seems better climatized, 
and at Buckland-in-the-Moor particularly its size 
is grand and its spread luxuriant. The “ Meavy 
oak” is also a splendid instance of the same sort. 
Fir is far from suited with a locality in Devon, its 
nature becomes impoverished, and its size stunted. 
Beech is somewhat scarce with us, but in many 
spots very large old trees may be seen, and appa- 
rently unimpaired by damp. Ash arrives at no 
ereat size, and twists greatly in its growth. By far 
the commonest tree is the elm, which though grown 
so readily is apparently much deteriorated by the 
humid air ; it does not grow on high ground ; its 
timber is seldom dense and perfect in quality, very 
much suffers from that disease termed “ dry rot” 
and a still larger proportion becomes affected with 
“caries” in several forms ; indeed, the generality of 
our timber is highly susceptible of this affection, 
and requires the careful consideration of the wood- 
man to prevent loss by timely felling. Parasitic 
vegetation luxuriates in this humid climate, it 
clothes apple trees in particular most abundantly.* 
* Respecting the chesnut very little can be said of its growth ; 
some however are thus particularized by Miss Dixon. “ Lower 
“down the wood (towards the Tamar) are some very large Span- 
“ish chesnut-trees, and one may be particularly distinguished ; 
Ww 
