diff --git a/Parsedown.php b/Parsedown.php
index c0b8c5f..52e0b9b 100755
--- a/Parsedown.php
+++ b/Parsedown.php
@@ -173,10 +173,6 @@ class Parsedown
 
     private function find_blocks(array $lines, $block_context = null)
     {
-        $block_tree = array();
-
-        $blocks = & $block_tree;
-
         $block = null;
 
         $context = null;