THE STRUGGLES OF A SCOTCH PINE vives 
rain beat on the dead weeds and break many of them 
down. ‘The frost finishes many more. In the spring, 
when the frost disappears, it looks as if the little seed- 
lings had another chance. It the winter was cold and 
the ground bare for a part of the time, perhaps some 
were frozen to death. ‘The second and third seasons 

Fic. 278. Young pines growing on the edge of forest well above the bracken 
come and go. The weeds flourish each year Just as 
before. They hide the tiny pines, but they cannot 
choke them out. The little trees grow slowly but 
surely. 
Another enemy than weeds to struggle against. Per- 
haps, in the first season, or the second, or the third, 
or even later, another foe appears which pursues duil- 
ferent tactics from those of the weeds. It is a tmy 
fungus, or mould, of delicate gossamer-like threads. It 
