44 GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 



the plant does not appear to feel the removal. So with 

 cuttings of many plants thus propagated ; if placed in 

 the earth with a certain amount of foliage on, and left 

 uncovered, they will immediately die ; but when we place 

 a bell-glass or a hand-glass over them, to prevent evapo- 

 ration, they remain as fresh as though they had roots 

 supplying them with moisture from the soil. It is on this 

 account that transplanted trees so often die, when the 

 branches and shoots are not in proportion to the roots. 

 In transplanting, a portion of the roots is destroyed, 

 and all are more or less deranged, so that their functions 

 are feebly performed for some time after planting. If all 

 the branches and shoots are left on, they will, as usual, 

 produce leaves ; but the absorption at the roots being so 

 much less than the exhalation of the leaves, the juices 

 contained in the tree, previously laid up, soon become ex- 

 hausted, the leaves droop and wither, and the whole fabric 

 perishes. In budding, too, if the whole leaf were left attach- 

 ed to the bud, the evaporation would be so great as to kill 

 the bud ; hence we remove all but a portion of the stalk. 

 A tree can neither mature its wood nor its fruit without 

 the full and healthy exercise of the leaves. If, in the 

 growing season, a tree is deprived of its foliage by blight, 

 insects, etc., we see that growth is entirely suspended for 

 a time, until new leaves are developed ; and if the leaves 

 be removed from a tree bearing fruit, we see the fruit 

 shrivel and dry up, or ripen prematurely, and become 

 worthless. These facts, and many others that might be 

 cited, show the intimate connection existing between the 

 leaves and the other organs of trees, and the influence 

 they have on their growth and productiveness. It is be- 

 lieved that the opening of the leaf buds in spring induces 

 the formation of new roots ; this is doubtful, as new roots 

 may be seen forming at times when there are no leaves 

 on the tree, and apparently no growth whatever going on 

 in the buds. But it is well known that they will soon cease 



