DECEMBER. 
359 
C. — Why does a plant die if its bark be cut round ? 
jP. — Because the vegetative life resides in the liher, and 
if this be divided, as in girdled trees, so that the upper part 
has no contact with the lower, no more buds or leaves can 
be put forth, these being produced from the inner surface of 
the liher. But if it be divided in part, that side of the tree 
whose connexion is unbroken will continue to flourish, while 
the portion immediately above the separated bark, withers 
and dies, as may be seen in a hundred instances in our 
forests. 
C. — I have often wondered at the huge globular excres- 
cences that stand out from the trunks of some trees, such as 
the maple, but more especially the birch ; sometimes as large 
as a hogshead. Do you know the cause of them ? 
F. — I do not, accurately ; on being cut, they present 
the regular structure of wood, surrounded by bark, but re- 
markably twisted and gnarled in the grain : in the centre is 
always some cavity or defect. I suspect they are either a 
diseased growth of the tree, like wens in animals, or the 
accumulated layers of ages around the base of some broken 
limb. 
But we have finished a year ; the seasons have completed 
their annual course^ since we commenced our wild wood- 
land rambles ; many subjects of interest have fallen beneath 
our observation ; many phenomena, more or less obvious, 
have occurred to our notice, calculated, I trust, to make us 
wiser and better. If they have tended to enlarge our inform- 
ation, to increase our cheerfulness, to calm and elevate our 
minds, to enforce a merciful consideration towards inferior 
animals, to open before us a wider display of the power, wis- 
dom, providence, and benevolence of Him who is essential 
Love, — why, we have not wasted our time. But we have 
seen but a small portion of the mysteries of nature ; inex- 
haustible stores yet remain to be unlocked ; interesting and 
