236 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The man looked at him witli a sort of" pity and said: "In the fall 

 the sap goes down into the roots, and when it gets there it comes out 

 of tiie roots into the ground and runs out into the creeks and makes 

 this rise." [Laughter.] But that we don't believe up north. 



People used to think that it was absolutely necessary that the roots 

 should be active in the spring before the tops could be, but that is not 

 true, as you can easily demonstrate for yourself. Just cut off a few 

 twigs that have fruit buds on them, bring them into the house and put 

 them where they will have sufficient moisture to start them, and they 

 will throw themselves into blossoming, although they haven't a sign 

 of root at all. A few years ago when I wanted to have some draw- 

 ings made of the flowers of the common little sand cherry I simply 

 got some cuttings and set them in the greenhouse; they didn't strike 

 root at all, but simply absorbed moisture enough .and came out into 

 full bloom. Then there's that old experiment made long ago at Cor- 

 nell University of taking a grape-vine in the dead of winter and 

 bringing part of it inside. The roots and all on the outside were 

 frozen solid, but inside the buds opened and the flowers came out. So 

 I think, Mr. Wilcox, your position is demonstrated, and there is no 

 need of laughing at you. 



Question — I would like to ask Professor Bessey one question. Is 

 there any probability that a tree would come into bloom if it were 

 mulched and frozen around the roots? 



Dr. Bessey — Yes, sir; certainly. 



Mr. Youngers — If you lay that tree down and cover the tops over 

 and keep them frozen, it won't blossom. [Laughter.] 



Question — If there is more sap in a tree in the winter time than 

 in the summer, what is the reason the bark will slip in the summer 

 and will not in the winter? 



Dr. Bessey — There is no connection between those two facts at 

 all. The reason why the bark slips at certain times in the year is 

 this: There is a little belt of new cells — it has nothing to do with the 

 sap at all — simply a little belt of new cells forming around the outside 

 of the wood. When these are young and soft they will be easily broken ; 

 when they grow older they become hard and you can't break them. 



Question — What is the object in being more water in a tree in the 

 winter than in th« summer? 



Dr. Bessey — There is no "object" in it at all. A plant is just 



