100 THE ROOT. 



semble the fibrous roots of grasses, and are subservi- 

 ent to precisely the same ends, for the main body as 

 well as its large branches, serve only to convey to- 

 wards the leaf, the nourishment, which its minute ex- 

 tremities have derived from the earth. Like the stem 

 to which it is attached, the former is composed of con- 

 centric circles corresponding to the age of the tree, and 

 contains the same vessels which pervade the other 

 parts of the vegetable texture ; but the extreme radi- 

 cles are always of annual growth, and the delicacy of 

 their texture, renders it difficult to transplant vegeta- 

 bles after they are formed. The proper period there- 

 fore to remove trees and shrubs, is late in autumn, af- 

 ter the radicles have ceased to absorb moisture from 

 the earth, or in the spring, before a new system of ab- 

 sorbents is formed. It may be done with safety in 

 mid-winter, when the whole energies of the vegetable 

 are torpid, but during the season of vegetation, which 

 requires the constant abstraction of nutriment from the 

 earth, it is a work of more difficulty and danger. The 

 analogy between the ascending stem and the branch- 

 ing root, is more close, and better established, than at 

 first view, we should be prepared to expect ; and 

 their only difference is derived from the different or- 

 gans with which they are connected. This is estab- 

 lished by an experiment which has frequently been 

 performed, and may without difficulty be repeated. 

 V shrub was bent to the horizon in such a manner that 

 half of its branches were covered with earth, and a 

 similar proportion of its roots were exposed to the ac- 

 tion of air and light, without any protection but that of 

 a thin coat of Moss, which was removed in a few days. 

 In this position the shrub remained for a considerable 

 while, after which, the remainder of the stem was bu- 



