The Trees that Would Not Grow

In the early 1900s, hopeful foresters planted hundreds of pine seeds in western Australia. The seeds soon sprouted. But the seedlings grew only a few inches tall. Then they stopped growing, turned yellow, and died.

The sickly pine seedlings puzzled the foresters. Vegetables and flowers planted in the same soil grew well. And pine trees grew fine in other parts of Australia. None of the dying seedlings had any diseases or parasites. None of them showed signs of insect attack.

One team, led by S. L. Kessell, tried planting seeds in different seasons. They gave some seedlings more water. They tried