The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-09-10

can be carried on only in the light and with the help of green substance known as ehlorophyll, from which the leaves derive their color.
 This food manufactured in the leaves is sent to all parts of the tree, and is either used at once to make new tis- sues or is stored away for future use. The greater part of 1t is usually digest ed and assimilated at once, and the result is growth. Now the growth 4of a tree begins in the spring as soon as the leaves are out, and by far the greater part of it's growth for the whole year takes place in comparatively short time.
 By July most of the growth, both in diameter, and still more, in height, is completed. Then comes a gradual slackening of this activity until, by midsummer, usually in August, prac- tically all growth has ceased. After this comes a period of hardening of the young and soft tissues just formed, and finally, with the advent of cold wealth CT, the leaves fall and the tree is ready for another winter of rest.
 It must not be thought that, because the period of rapid growth Is such a brief one the tree Is thereafter idle It's life processes go on the same as ever. It has been seen that in the process of food manufacture carbon dioxide is ab- sorbed from the air, while large quan- titles of water are sent up to the leaves from the soil,
 A part of this water is not needed | in making food, and the excess is transpired by the leaves and given out again to the atmosphere in the form of vapor This, of course, helps to temper the air in the forest, and to keep it cool and moist. Then again, not all of the carbon dioxide that is absorbed is used by the leaves. It is the carbon contained in this that they want principally, and so the carbon dioxide is broken up and free oxygen returned to the air.
 At the same time there is another process going on which is exactly the reverse of this, and is more or less concealed by it. Trees must breathe just as animals, and in precisely the same way they take In oxygen and give back carbon dioxide to the air. thin places in the barHRtAoIL MN This breathing takes place through little pores, or mouths in the leaves and through thin places in the bark and it was a long time before discov- Iery was made that such process ex- listed.
 There is another matter of vital in- terest to the forest, the question of its pcrpetuation. It is not enough for the forest to live it's own life with no thought for the future. It must take some measures to see that when 1t is gone there may be other trees to take it's place and carry on its work. Many of the broad-leaf trees do this by means of sprouts. When the tree itself immediately send up new shoots, which in turn, grow into trees, The conlfers however do not have this power and with all kinds of trees the more usual method of reproduction is by means oi seed.
 As soon as the tree has fully estab- lished its position In the forest and Is sure of it's own existence, it at once begins the production and dlssemlna. ton of seed The methods of doing this which have been adopted by the df. ferent kins of trees, vary greatly Some produce seed regularly every year, some at regular intervals of sev- eral years, and still others at irregular intervals. Some bear seed that Is par ticularly adapted for distribution by animals, or by birds, while many rely entirely upon the wind
 For many years the life of the trees is constant struggle and contention Life is not an easy one for them and of the many thousands of little seed. lings which start in the rae eonly a few survive to reach old age, But many good things remain for the sur vivcrs As they grow older and pass the prime of life their rate of growth gradually decreases, until at last com petition with each other ceases entire fly.
 Then their only dangers are from without, and they may live on quietly and peacefully for many years, or ever centuries. Their old friends and neigh. bors may pass away and their places be taken by younger growth, and the forest be completely changed But | undisturbed by outside influences tho veteran of the forest may stand fol many years in dignity and repose, z veritable patriarch, until it too mus finally succumb to the weakness of ol( age and decay, and make room for 6 new generation.-New York Evening Post