THE WALNUT 



two thousand of these cells. They may be likened 

 to as many small tubes reaching from rootlet to the 

 topmost bud of the tree. Their function is to con- 

 vey the sap and to deposit the substances held in 

 solution wherever required in the growth of the 

 tree. 



Hence, using a scion one-half inch in diameter, 

 one thousand or more of these tiny cells are cut; 

 while in splitting a branch and springing the parts 

 to insert this scion, but few are broken, the vast 

 number being bent aside. Should we expect the 

 thousand mouths to get sufficient nourishment from 

 the few broken ones? 



Cut out the cleft, opening up as many cells in 

 the stock as in the scion, and note the result. In 

 all of our work, whether on walnut, apple, pear, 

 peach, plum, cherry, or even oak as stock for the 

 chestnut we never split a limb too large for the 

 splice graft. We are fully aware that in early 

 springtime the bark parts easily from last year's 

 growth, and some may think the sap flows readily 

 around the stem ; but immediately the double row of 

 cells, the one to form the bark and the other the 

 wood's yearly growth begin to form. The sap flows 

 upward thru these cells and life's mystery goes on. 

 The mystery which we cannot comprehend, whether 



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