330 



THE planter's GUIDE. 



its afterwards giving way. That accident, however, 

 happens frequently in a day, perhaps in an hour, and 

 usually about midsummer or the beginning of autumn, 

 by some sudden blight, for which it is as difficult to 

 account as it is hopeless to remedy. At other times, it 

 will decay by slow degrees ; leaf after leaf becomes 

 shrivelled up and discoloured ; and, after languishing for 

 weeks, it Avill die at last, but always before the middle of 

 autumn. 



From the great utility of the Beech for every purpose, 

 but especially for clothing those thin, poor, and gravelly 

 soils about a place, where nothing else will vegetate, it is 

 important to discover some method of obviating what the 

 Scotch gardeners call this singular " dortiness " in its 

 character.'" It seems plain that it proceeds from a great 

 susceptibility in the roots and fibres of exposure to the 

 atmosphere. That necessarily disables them from supply- 

 ing proper nourishment to the sap-vessels ; which, being 

 injured, fail in their turn to perform their functions. It 

 is on this account that we find that late planting in the 

 spring is fatal to the Beech, beyond all other trees ; 

 because in that case there is not time for the earth to 

 become consolidated round the roots, before the drought 

 of summer sets in. 



That this theory is correct I have some reason to 

 believe ; yet the causes on which it depends lie hid from 

 the human eye, and, therefore, the best naturahsts can 

 only form probable conjectures concerning them. Some 

 years since, when every Beech I had removed during the 

 season failed, excepting three, my attention was turned to 

 an examination of the circumstances under which the 

 latter had succeeded ; and it seemed the more remark- 



NOTE XIII. 



