136 CONSERVATIVE ORGANS. JJLECT. IV. 



" increases that of the root*," militates against this 

 opinion: but it maybe answered, that by exposing 

 the tops to the colii air, whilst the fibrils of the 

 roots are in a state of activity, the functions of 

 the leaves are not altogether suspended ; and the 

 only difference produced by the diminished tempe- 

 rature moderating their action, is, that less of the 

 watery part of the sap being thrown off during its 

 exposure in the leaves, the proper juice is conse- 

 quently more abundant because it contains more 

 water. It is still, however, proper juice, and is 

 conveyed from the leaves into the caudex, which is 

 necessarily enlarged ; but it is less perfectly formed, 

 and the root as an article of food wants its proper 

 flavour. 



That the fibrils are the principal absorbing 

 parts of the roots we have just examined, is evi- 

 dent ; for, by merely placing the extremity or 

 tapering point of a Turnip covered with its fibrils 

 in water, the herbaceous part continues to grow 

 and put forth fresh leaves, which does not happen 

 if the caudex only be surrounded with water, and 

 the point kept dry. It is owing to this circum- 

 stance, also, that Turnips and similar roots thrive 

 and enlarge, although nearly the whole of the 

 caudex be above the surface of the ground. 



3. The Fibrous root (Radix Jibrosa) consists 

 of rootlets only, which convey the nutriment ab- 



*~ Darwin's Phytologia, sect. xvii. 1. 



