42 HOME AND GARDEN 



from it, is a nose of rock jutting out of tlie bank. 

 When it comes down those few inches and rests upon 

 the stone what will happen ? Will the stone give it so 

 much rest and support that the roots, instead of ex- 

 pending all their strength in merely clutching for dear 

 life, will be able to grow into supporting strength ? 

 Or will it act as a fulcrum and hasten the tree's destruc- 

 tion by giving a resisting point whereby the weight of 

 the head, by the force of leverage, will prise the roots 

 upward out of the ground ? Or will the stone itself, 

 after giving delusive support for a time, fall out of the 

 bank ? In this case I do not see what could possibly 

 save the tree. I often pass that way, and always look 

 with sympathetic interest to see how it goes with my 

 brave little friend. 



Its next neighbour, a Beech, only a few yards away, 

 is firmly seated on a strong ledge of rock, and looks as 

 if its support had been built up from below with well- 

 planned masonry. But as it has no tap-root, I think 

 nothing could save it if these rocks gave way. 



In the same lane, a few hundred yards away, are 

 some larger Beeches. Among these, one presents a 

 kind of wall of root to the side of the lane. I never 

 fail to notice how well and beautifully that tree 

 has managed its means of support. The bank is of 

 hard yellow sand, with strata of spongy half-formed 

 rock. The main roots have turned back under the 

 butt, and wind forward and back like a closely down- 

 pressed S, running horizontally along one inhospitable 



