GROWING GOLD. 37 



requires, this is sufficient to bring the mildew. 

 On a tree thus artificially weakened, thou- 

 sands of insects settle at once, while the 

 neighbouring trees are free from them. Thus, 

 this corruption should no more be attributed 

 to insects than that of flesh. It seems merely 

 to be occasioned by the stagnation of the 

 juices; an accident which many circumstances 

 may occasion." 



This, then, fully explains the cause of the 

 noss disease, and that decay of trees which 

 has been observed in so many different places. 

 The only question is, whether it is ascribed to 

 the true cause of the injury the growing crop 

 of timber is suffering under ; namely, a want 

 of sufficient shelter. — In all situations where 

 young trees are sufficiently protected from 

 the wind, they are not only free from moss, 

 but are healthy, sound, and fast growing. 

 Where they do not stand close enough to 

 shelter each other from the wind, they are 

 bush headed, moss grown, short stemmed, 

 twigged to the bottom, diminutive, decayed 



