THE WALNUT 



as thin a portion of the rootlet as possible. Examine 

 this under the microscope. Behold the great number 

 of tubes thru which the sap ascends. Examine like- 

 wise a portion of the stalk cut off above the crown. 

 Study the leaf, its cell and structure the lungs of 

 the tree, which extracts nitrogen from the atmos- 

 phere and throws out as vapor tons of water. The 

 query is how this water which holds in solution the 

 substances necessary to the growth and development 

 of the tree, depositing them in its journey, rises up 

 thru the cells of bark, cambium and alburnum, from 

 the millions of tiny microscopic mouths on its root- 

 lets to the topmost bud and leaf. We realize that 

 this silent force is powerful ; but from whence that 

 power and how applied is not thoroly understood. 

 One suggests osmose of liquids, another capillarity, 

 and still another hydraulics. Maybe all these forces 

 unite to build the stately columns in our forests, as 

 when we ride on the electric car forty or fifty miles 

 per hour and think of the propelling force only 

 gravity carries us so speedily ; the weight of falling 

 water transmitted thru the electric wire. Yet the 

 force which lifted the water and bore it to the sum- 

 mit of the mountains was greater, tho only a sun- 

 beam. This is the force which gives motion to gla- 

 ciers, and chiseled out the canyons of the world. 



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