On the Dry Rot. 173 
tubes of the heart-wood, although the whole quantity that es- 
caped was not so large as in the other case. ‘The results of these 
experiments accord with a known fact in regard to the sv 
maple, namely, that no sap can be obtained from the tubes of the 
alburnum of that tree, and therefore they are obliged to bore the 
hole for the tube through the alburnum, into the heart-wood be- 
fore it will run.* 
The first experiment shows plainly, that the sap is in the tubes 
of the alburnum in the summer, and I believe this accords with 
the present theory in botany; and I believe also, that it is con- 
ceded by botanists that the sap is the cause of the dry rot; then 
why was the practice of cutting timber in the winter ever intro- 
duced, except for the purpose of wean in saving the alburnum 
from the rot ? 
In the second experiment it can be clearly seen, that the ie 
triann06 sap being principally in the roots of trees in the winter, 
is false, and therefore should be discarded for the mischief it has 
already done, and the truth should be established, which is, that 
in the winter the sap is in the tubes of the heart-wood of the whole 
tree, roots, body, and branches, and is there protected from injury 
by the frost. By what process it gets there, and how protected, 
is perhaps yet veiled in mystery ; but all must confess, that it is 
conveyed there by a natural law, and thus protected from injury ; 
the beneficent design is too obvious to be attributed to any other 
than Almighty power. 
_ At the period I was strenuously advocating the doctrine of 
cutting timber in the winter, [ had a small apple-tree which had 
been engrafted with a choice fruit, and had been growing per- 
haps seven or eight years. There was one limb on it which I 
did not like, because it was growing in a wrong direction, and 
therefore I took it off in December, because of course I did be- 
lieve the sap to be then in the roots, and therefore at this season 
there would none of it be wasted or taken away with the limb, 
and of consequence the branches left would receive a greater pro- 
portion of nourishment in the spring. After the occurrence of the 
circumstances before detailed, I examined the tree, and found 
eee: a “ the limb which remained within the 
* Jt will be remembered that the sugar maple is always tapped at the close of 
winter, and first dawning of spring, when there are sunny days and frosty nights. 
—Ep. 
