cr own readers

21 2 USES OF FORESTS.
con-t ra-ry
i~so·lat·ed
plan-ta-tions
ve-ge-ta~tion
im-pen-e-tra-ble
e-stee med'
rec-og-n ize
re-gion
crude
sug-gest-ive
a-gue
rheu-ma-tism
cal-a-bash
pre-cis e-ly
co-ag-u-lates
smoul-der-ing
' V OR D E X ERCISE :-
1. Mak e sentences showing th e various uses of th e word crop.
2. Give a list of words der ived from native and from liquid, with
th ei r meanin gs.
3. Mak e sentences showing th e use of th e words esteem (noun and
verb), estimate, estimation, and estima ble.
For N OTES, Bee Parle 267.
54. USES OF FORESTS.
1. The greater part of th e land surface of the
earth is thickly covered with growing plants. Th e
influence of this plant covering is very important in
many ways. The most imm ediate effect produced by
trees is the improvement of the soil into which th eir
roots penetrate. Wherever they succeed in finding
a foot-hold, they at once proceed to make and to
pr eserve a coating of soil, which in the end may
become ,fit for cultivation.
2. Th e roots penetrate downward into crevices of
th e rock, starting as slender filaments which grow
in size and wedge the stones apart, and thus make
the beginnings of a soil. I nto every cranny of the
disrupted stone other roots find th eir way, and repeat
the process of br eaking. In thi s way th e rock is
fractured into bits, and becomes subjected to the dissolving
action of the rain-water, and so affords food
for plants. Th e root- hairs, also, produce an acid
capable of dissolving certain min eral substances, and