fine fruit trees nprooted because they had not borne satisfactory 



crops for a few years. In 

 many cases this was a mis- 

 take. The failure is oftener 

 due to neglect on the part 

 of the grower than to any 

 fault of the tree. It is the 

 purpose of this series of les- 

 sons to discuss the fruit tree 

 and its treatment. Let us 

 first examine the tree itself. 

 Parts of the tree. — A 

 >lance informs us that a tree 

 is composed of three princi- 

 pal parts, roots, stem (trunk 



2. — One year apple tree root qraft. Note the tin i j.i , / n i 



^, f .7. rn -pn /7 or bole) and the top (called 



fibres and rootlets. These follow the ' ^ ^ 



extending roots. crown by the forester). Each 



part serves a particular pur- 

 pose in the economy of the plant's life. Injury to any part results 

 in injury to the entire tree. 



Hoots. — These 

 are of three kinds : 

 large woody arms 

 which act as me- 

 chanical l)racesand 

 supports to the tree 

 and liold it erect ; 

 rootlets — a small 

 system of roots 

 whose function it 

 is to transmit plant 

 food ; and finally 

 root-hairs, 

 foraging agents. 



,, tiny 

 a^ 

 which ijrow on the 



3. — A two year old apple graft, small roots — rootlets, 

 mainly at the ends of the hrace roots and left in the 

 ground lohen tree was dug. 



the rootlets and absorl) dissolved plant-food. For a full explanation 

 of how the plant does this, the reader should consult Reading Lesson 



35G 



