6(t. OF REVERSED PLANTS. 



of their original nature as to deposit new wood 

 above the leaf-buds ; that is, in the part of the 

 cutting which, if planted in its natural posi- 

 tion, would have been below them. It ap- 

 pears, however, that the sap-vessels must ab- 

 sorb and transmit their sap in a du'ection con- 

 trary to what is natural; and it is highly pro- 

 bable, that after some revolving seasons new 

 returning vessels would be formed in that part 

 of the stem which is now below the buds. I 

 presume there can be no doubt that successive 

 new branches would deposit their wood in the 

 usual position. It is nevertheless by no means 

 common for such inverted cuttings to succeed 

 at all. An experiment to a similar purpose is 

 recorded by Dr. Hales, Vegetable Staticks, 

 p. 132, t. 11, of engrafting together three trees 

 standing in a row^, and then cutting oft' the 

 communication between the central one and 

 the earth, so that it became suspended in the 

 air, and was nourished merely through its late- 

 ral branches. The same experiment was success- 

 fully practised by the late Dr. Hope at Edin- 

 burgh upon three Willows, and in the j^ears 

 1781, 2, and 3, I repeatedly witnessed their 

 health and vigour. It was observed that the 



