T H E C O N S T R U C T I O N OF TIMBER
N . OF THE P E N T A N G U L A R FOR M OF T H E PITU
I N THE ALMOND.
P L A T E We need not always fearch the ftoves for Trees or Shrubs to afford delight in this
X X X I I I . examination J our gardens, nay in manyinftances the hedges, afford them. If elegance
of ftrudure alone were fought, and beauty were the objeft in purfuit, fcarce any
kind affords it in a degree beyond the Almond. But bellde this, it has alfo great ling:
ularity, and is in many parts moft worthy of obfervation. Plate XXXIII.
I n mof t Trees the Pith, conforming itfelf to that of the other coats, takes the fame
ihape with the outline of the Twig. Tis round we have feen in the Annona, and in
t h e Oleander 'tis elliptic, and angulated j in each cafe, anfwering to the ihape of the
f Shoot: but tho' the Twi g of an Almond Tree be round, the Pi t h is pentangular, f .
T h i s form is given it by the Corona; which, tho' extremely narrow, yet prefervea
tliat ihape with the mof t trim exadnefs. The Pith anfwers i n delicacy to the Corona ;
tender, thin, tranfparent, and very prettily figured. But in the Almond there is more
a b worth notice: the two Barks, a and b, are thicker than is ufual; and in the fubd
ftance of the latter lie oval Vafa interiora of great note. The Blea, d, is formed of
l i t t l e cones turned toward the fun, and between thefe runs in a quantity of Bark, feparating
alfo for a little way the cones of Wood. The Almond ihould therefore be
i n Nature another inftance of a Tree that may furvive w h e n peeled j and what it may
be, that it i s : many Almond Trees at Denham ihew it. The Wood in the Almond
is delicate j but as the Barks are thick, fo are the lines which divide the circles of
t h e feafons.
I I I . OF THE P I T H OF T H E P E T R ^ A CONIFER A,
N O T C E N T R A L ,
P L A T E The fportings and the wantonneffes of Nature, if fuch expreifions may be ufed on
XXXIV. unoffending fubjef t s , have been fpoken of. Doubtlefs what vain philofophy has taught
us to call by the idle name Lufus N a t u r e are things referable to caufes that would
exclude the term, if they were known. But howfoever that may be, tlie P e t r i a Conifera,
Plate XXXIV. gives a very ftrlking inftance of this kind. One would fuppofe,
i f any thing could be called certain about the Pith, it would be its central diipofition :
a t leaft it might be thought fo in refpetfl o f young Branches; for they have not been
I n the way of thofe accidents which might have thickened one fide of a T r u n k at the
expence of another : but here we fee that Great Difpofer placing, even in the youngeft
o Shoots, the Pith far on one fide of the Bough, a. The Petrrea affords us alfo an inftance
of one of the fimpleft Piths, furrounded by a Corona as little confiderable as
b any other: but in the Wood of this Tree, b, there is as much fingularity of conftrudtion
as of the Pith in place. That part is formed of very broad, very obtufe
7 cone s .
f i *
LLTL'