1857.] Cincinnati Ilurticultiiral Society — Proceedings. 185 



Mr. Ward proceeded to remark that he regarded every point of 

 growth pror-ceding in opposition to the leaf as the descending axis, 

 and alluded to our indigenous beech as a forest-tree growth with no 

 tap-root — the roots, instead of descending from the axes of growth, 

 are all collateral. The principles of all plants must be consistent, 

 the harmony of nature required it. The principle of the " tap-root" 

 is, he said, in many instances correct; but is not universal, and im- 

 portant as the tap-root seemed, yet cutting off all the laterals, with 

 the tap-root remaining, would surely kill the tree. He instanced 

 the manner of the reproduction of the clover, and the running rose 

 of the swamp, by new attachments and new sections, whose new de- 

 scending axes thus sent off are as much descending axes as are the 

 " tap roots " that first nourish the mother plant — there is no func- 

 tional difference. From this he argued that each node is of itself a 

 true plant; they are not fragments of individuals, but each itself an 

 individual. To an inquiry from Mr. Gary, he said, functionally, 

 there is no difference between the descending axis of a sprouting 

 bean and the sprouting node of clover, each will live and produce an 

 independent plant after its kind. 



Mr. Ward, resuming, said that he deemed the doctrine erroneous 

 that taught us to resort to seedlings as the best means of preserving 

 our more perfect varieties of fruit. Nature's forms, he said, are not 

 always the best forms. Our aim as horticulturists is to remodel 

 these forms for improvement. If we were to look to seedlings alone, 

 how long would it be till the double tea rose would be running back 

 to a briar, and the petunia to its simple wild vine ? No, nature in- 

 viting says : -'Take me in my best modes; improve on this by care 

 and cultivation, and from this on again to another stage of improve- 

 ment." And thus, said he, we have found the peach, the pippin 

 and the double tea-rose. 



As to the sap circulation, Mr. Ward said that he thought that the 

 leaves had not so much to do in the elaboration of the sap as had 

 been supposed, and cited the instances of the towering palm, with 

 but a tuft of foliage, and the cacti, which, though leafless, grow vig- 

 orously. He said that he felt able to affirm that the circulation 

 must be as perfect in every bud as for the whole plant; if not, the 

 bud must die; for without this perfection of its own circulation, it 

 could not form wood, bark, leaves, etc. The circulation must be as 

 complete for the little plant as for the oak. Each bud and branch 

 is, therefore, a separate plant even while on the parental stem, and 



