INTRODUCTION. ROOTS AND BRANCHES. 



arrested so is that of the branches. The growing roots imbibe liquid food, and the 

 woody parts are absorbent, to some extent, as are the stems above ground, and this fact 

 teaches us to keep the bark clean, free from insects, moss, and lichens. The young 

 roots also contain very fine hairs, which are the principal food absorbents ; they form at 

 the same time as the formation of leaves in summer, and perish with their fall in the 

 autumn, when their duties of the season are ended. It will be seen how perfect is 

 the harmony between the roots and branches of trees and how needful it is that this 

 should be preserved by the cultivator. 



When the soil is deep and loose the roots of trees are apt to extend to an undesirable 



Fig. 1. ROOTS : (a) Spongiole, magnified. (*) The same, highly magnified, in section ; the shaded cells are the mother 

 cells, which form the growing point, (c) Bad root growth, (d) Good root growth. 



length (c), producing few lateral growths or fibres. The branches then are of a similar 

 nature long jointed, containing much pith and essentially fruitless in character. This 

 also occurs when the soil near the surface of the ground is too dry in summer, for the 

 roots there are then attracted downwards to the moisture below it may be stagnant 

 water, in the subsoil. The growth then is defective in tissue, tender, liable to 

 disease, or injury by frost, and is in every respect unsatisfactory. Similar results ensue 

 when the roots of trees are driven from near the surface by roughly and thoughtlessly 

 digging amongst them. Stagnant water is fatal to healthy growth, and drainage which 



