204
tree a deep hole was bored with an auger, and a poor devoted
fhrew-moufe was thruft in alive, and plugged in, no doubt, with
feveral quaint incantations long fince forgotten. As the ceremonies
neceflary for fuch a confecration are no longer underftood, all fuc-
ceffion is at an end, and no fuch tree is known to fubfift in the
manor, or hundred.
As to that on the Plejlor
** The late vicar ftubb’d and burnt it.”
when he was way-warden, regardlefs of the remonftrances of the
by-ftanders, who interceded in vain for it’s prefervation, urging,
it’s power and efficacy, and alledging that it had been
“ Religione patram multos fervala per annos.”
I am,, &c-
L E T T E R XXIX.
TO TH E S AM E .
D E A R S I R , Selborne, Feb. 7, 177«;
I n heavy fogs, on elevated fituations efpecially, trees are perfedt
alembics; and no one that has not attended to fuch matters can
imagine how much water one tree will diftil in a night’s time, by
condenfing the vapour, which trickles down the twigs and boughs,,
fo as to make the. ground below quite in a float; In Ntwtm-lane,.
in
in OBober 1775, on a mifty day, a particular oak in leaf dropped
fo fall that the cart-way flood in- puddles and the ruts ran with
water, though the-ground in general was dufty.
In fome of our fmaller iflands in the Weft-Indies, if I miftakc
not, there are no fprings or rivers ; but the people are fupplied
with that neceflary element, water, merely by the dripping of
fome large tall trees, which, Handing in the bofom of a mountain,
keep their heads conftantly enveloped with, fogs and clouds, from
which they difpenfe their kindly never-ceafing moifture;. and
fo render thofe diftridts habitable by condenfation alone.
- -Trees m-leaf have fuch a vaft proportion more of furface than
thofe that are naked, that, in theory, their condenlations Ihould
greatly exceeed thofe that are ftripped of their leaves;; but, as- the
former imbibe alfo a great quantity of moifture, it is difficult to fay
which drip molt: but this I know, that deciduous trees that are
entwined with much ivy feem to diftil the greateft quantity. Ivy-
leaves are fmooth, and thick, and cold, and therefore condenle
very fa ll; and befides ever-greens imbibe very little. Thefe fadts
may furnilh the intelligent with hints concerning what forts of trees
they fhould plant round ftnall ponds that they would with to be
perennial; and fhew them how advantageous fome trees-are in preference
to' others.
Trees- perfpire profufely, condenfe largely, and check evaporation
fo much, that woods are always moift; no wonder therefore
that they contribute much to pools and ftreams.
That trees are great promoters of lakes and rivers. appears
from a well known fadt in North-America', for, fince the woods and
forefts have been grubbed and cleared, all bodies of water are much
diminilhed; fo that fome ftreams, that were very conliderable ai
century