134 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



PT. ir. 



Effect of Plenty of examples of this sort of growtli may be seen 

 mechani- in the neighbom^hood of the sea. This is from the 



cal, not 



chemical, mechanical force acquired by the wind in passing over 

 the uninterrupted surface of the sea. It is common to 

 attribute the blasted vegetation of trees in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the sea to the saline or chemical qualities 

 of t]ie sea breeze. If it were so, the growth would 

 not be hurt more on one side of the tree than the other. 

 If it were so, trees would grow as luxuriantly on the 

 south-west side, and on the top of Mount Edgecombe, 

 as they do on the sheltered north-east side, for the 

 chemical qualities of the atmosphere must be the same 

 in each place. If it were so, we should not find the 

 same sort of scarecrow growth on our inland bare 

 plains and heaths as we do along our coasts. In a 

 bare, open country, we have only to see on which side 

 of a tree is the lowest and shortest growth of its head, 

 to know where the south-west is. And if the stem of 

 such a tree is cut across, the largest sides of the annual 

 rings of wood will be found on the north-east side. If 

 it is attempted, by pruning out the leeward growth, to 

 give exposed trees straight leaders, or to force them to 

 grow to windward, they will decay from want of head 

 to return a sufficient nourishment to the root ; though, 

 if it is gradually done, trees may be very much helped 

 on this principle. Firs being essentially single-leadered 



unfledged Christians. Tlie temperature therefore for plants may 

 be taken absolutely from the thermometer, irrespective of wind. 

 So that with the thermometer at 50°, and a strong wind, plants 

 may have a spring day and we beasts a winter day. 



