. California agriculturist and live stock journal. Agriculture -- California; Livestock -- California; Animal industry -- California. California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. SPONTANEOUS GENERATION. It is still thought, by some persons, as we see by our exchanges, that oak trees spring- ing up, after the destruction of a piue forest, on the same ground, is proof of so-called spontaneous generation of plant:^ We had an opportunity of examining this point per- sonally, and gladly availed ourselves of it. A destructive fire occurred in a piece of forest not far from where we lived. It was
. California agriculturist and live stock journal. Agriculture -- California; Livestock -- California; Animal industry -- California. California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. SPONTANEOUS GENERATION. It is still thought, by some persons, as we see by our exchanges, that oak trees spring- ing up, after the destruction of a piue forest, on the same ground, is proof of so-called spontaneous generation of plant:^ We had an opportunity of examining this point per- sonally, and gladly availed ourselves of it. A destructive fire occurred in a piece of forest not far from where we lived. It was only stopped by a heavy fall of rain. In the third or fourth year after the fire the whole face of the earth was covered with young oak trees, from one to three years old. Where did the young oaks come from? Did they grow from acorns? Undoubtedly they did. On examin- ing the soil it was found full of acorns and acorn-shells. The fallen pine trees were also found full of acorns and empty acorn-shells. The red-headed woodpeckers had inserted thousands of them in holes which they had dug in the soft piue bark for their reception. In many cases only the shells were left. These wei-e those on which the birds had lived during the past winters. But in other cases the bark had grown over the acorns and embedded them so deep that they were equal- ly protected from the weather and the birds. When dug out thej were found perfectly sound. Where the fallen trees were partially embedded in the soil, the acorns were found swelling and sprouting as far up as the mois- ture, air, heat and light could reach them. Limbs of the trees were found scattered ev- erywhere in the same condition. Can any one doubt the true source of the oaks in these cases? And yet such phenomena have been erroneously instanced as proofs of spon- taneous generation! It onlj' requires a little observation and research to arrive at the truth in these cases. We apprehend that the same scrutiny will explode all other suppos
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