Chap. IV.] MISCELLANEOUS. 
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 trees, and not having 
the reproductive powers of deciduous trees, stand 
wind very badly. It is the common error to be¬ 
lieve that they will stand exposure well, because 
they are found high up mountains. But this is 
only where they are sheltered by the mountain- 
side; and they will not bear well the exposure 
even of our low bare plains, still less of the tops 
of very moderate hills. I except the silver fir. 
Trees may be often remarked whose growth 
has a stratified effect, with bare stems between 
the strata, or stages of growth. I think this 
may be from occasional accidental blights of 
growth from wind. 1 have never seen this sort 
of growth in sheltered situations. 
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