Dec. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 907 



obtain by means of tiuy bairs attached to my roots. These hairs are exceed- 

 ingly delicate, and of short duration ; as my roots increase in length new ones 

 are formed and the old ones die. I form a great number of these hairs if the 

 soil is kept in good tilth and heart, and they provide me with an immense 

 absorbent surface, whereby I may appease my thirst. 



If you were to cut me down in spring you would discover to some extent 

 the amount of sap that is circulating in my system through the outer woody 

 tissues of my stem inside the bark. To use a human expression—I would bleed 

 to death. About GO per cent, of me is water. 



I am not a lover of pure distilled water, but like some human beings, I prefer 

 something stronger. What benefits me is water with a weak " salt " flavouring, 

 I do not mean common salt. There are many kinds of " salts " that delight me. 



If you see me pale and languid, give me nitrate of soda or sulphate of 

 ammonia, the former for preference, if the soil be acid, deficient in lime and 

 not too clayey ; it also encourages me to root deeper. Then see how my lesives 

 will expand and change to a deep green to thank you. 



If, however, you find me growing too fast, steady me down with phosphates, 

 bonetlust, basic slag, or superphosphate, applietl in spring according to indi- 

 vidual soil requirements. 



Potash "salts" also delight me; they make my leaves thicker, so that they 

 can work harder. They also make me more resistant to disease; and last, imt 

 not least, put colour in the fruits I produce, and enable me to give them finish 

 and flavour. Sulphate or muriate of potash is good if applied at " pinking 

 stage " or later when fruit has set. 



Another thing that is most essential to my well-being is lime in its different 

 forms. If the soil is stiff and clayey, or if it is acid from a large accumulation 

 of humus, give me burnt lime ; if it is light and of a sandy nature I prefer the 

 carbonate. Sour soils I abhor ; my feeding roots will not respond to them. 

 Lime keeps me fresh and sweet and induces me to form a fruitful tree, provided 

 a sufficient supply of humus is present and, of course, water, because I do not 

 eat through my roots — I only drink. 



How do I drink V How can I drink? By the process of "osmosis;" in other 

 words, the diffusion that takes place from a weaker solution into a more 

 concentrated solution when separated by a membrane — in this case the cell- 

 walls of my root-hairs. 



/ can eat, or rather take food into my system. I eat, or, in other words, 

 obtain the substance for my solid structure from the air, and this comes to me 

 in the form of invisible gas — carbonic acid gas. Nature has placed in the 

 under side of my leaves minute mouths called stomata, through which the gas 

 gains an entrance. Leaves are really factories, making from the air and the 

 " salt " solution which comes from my roots during sunlight particles of solid 

 matter, and these are used in building up new growth. Wonderful factories 

 driven by the power of sunlight ! 



It is again due to the action of sunlight, combined with " osmotic pressure," 

 that the sap ascends from my roots enabling me to make good the loss from 

 evaporation. 



My leaves are everything to me. Take heed of this when sunnner itruning, 

 and use the knife at the right season and with care. I may mention that the 

 factory closes at sunset and opens at sunrise; the leaves rest from eating wheu 

 the sun goes down. 



/ cwn hreaihe. — I want oxygen quite as much as any human being, night and 

 day. Again my leaves are vital to my existence, the air supplies the oxygen, 

 whereby I keep fresh and live. I breathe also through my roots, so how can I 

 exist if the soil is hard and cement-like or water-logged? I breathe also 

 through my stem. I prefer to breathe a cool temperate climate with a bracing 

 altitude; cool nights and bright sunny days in summer enable me to bring to 

 perfection my croi) of fruit, and frosts in autumn and winter induce- a period 

 of rest from my labours. 



I can sleep. — I get tired of life each autumn, my leaves drop off, and I lead 

 a sleepy and passive existence till spring-time, when once more the factory is 

 opened. 



Treat me more like a human being, and give me water to drink, with some- 

 thing in it to flavour it, of course— none of your pure distilled water— I want 



