CH. II.] THE ROOTS. 79 



The number of roots within a given space of soil is 

 much larger than when the plants grow in the open 

 soil ; for, being restrained by the side of the pot, they 

 fork mto numerous fibres, spread over its surface and 

 even turn inwards again in search of food, they being 

 gifted with the power of forming an extra number 

 of radicles whenever deficiency of food renders such 

 compensatory power necessaiy. The gardener en- 

 deavours to render it needless by supplying the 

 plants with liquid manure ; but this richness of pas- 

 ture can only be permitted to a certain extent, for if 

 a plant is so well supplied with food as not to render 

 a certain consumption of its proper juices in forming 

 roots requisite, so much more of those juices is 

 stored in the stem and branches, rendering the 

 plant over-luxuriant, and consequently unproductive 

 of flowers and fruit. 



Mr. Barnes, in a letter dated September 9th, 1844, 

 observ^es, that the common earth-worm is too gene- 

 rally regarded as an enemy, whereas by its perfora- 

 tions of the earth it facilitates the admission of air! 

 to the roots of plants ; and we have found that thrust- 

 ing a knitting needle down through the soil of potted 

 plants, as well as stirring its surface, is highly bene- 

 ficial. 



I am not an advocate for putting room plants out 

 of doors whilst rain is falling ; it is a practice origi- 



