68 PRINCIPLES OF GARDENING. [CH. II. 



its far-spreading roots will vegetate ; and the Sweet- 

 scented coltsfoot and Lemon mint are not less to be 

 avoided, for the same cause renders them extremely 

 difficult of extirpation, and they never can be kept 

 within moderate bounds. Yet these creeping rooted 

 plants are not to be condemned without exception; 

 for whoever has grounds under his care bordering 

 upon the sea-shore, the sands of which are trouble- 

 . somely light and shifting, may have them effectually 

 'bound down by inoculating them with slips of the 

 root of these grasses, Elymus arenarius, Carex aren- 

 iaria, and Arundo arenaria. 



The roots of plants, unless frozen, are constantly 

 imbibing nourishment, and even developing parts ; 

 for if the roots of trees planted during the winter be 

 examined after an interval of a few weeks, they will 

 be found to have emitted fresh radicles. The food 

 they imbibe is slowly elaborated in the vessels of the 

 stem and branches, and there deposited. 



It is by their extremities, then, that roots imbibe 

 food ; but the orifices of these are so minute, that 

 they can only admit such as is in a state of solution. 

 Carbon, reduced to an impalpable powder, being 

 insoluble in water, though offered to the roots of 

 several plants, mingled with that fluid, has never 

 been obsened to be absorbed by them ; yet it is one 

 of their chief constituents, and is readily absorbed in 

 anv combination which renders it fluid. 



