THE HOOTS. 9 



power evidently necessary to the well-being of the tree on account 

 of the great height and distance the absorbed fluid his to travel 

 in order to reach the extremities of large and lofty trees, especially 

 during the season of active growth. 



Like other Exogenous trees inhabiting temperate climates, the roots 

 of Conifers have a period of comparative if not absolute repose, during 

 which, except in frosty weather, the plant may be taken out of the 

 ground and removed to another spot, even after it has attained a 

 considerable size.* The vitality of the roots of coniferous plants is 

 remarkable, especially in the Fir and Pine tribe. Many instances have 

 been observed in which the roots not only live but continue to grow 

 for many years after the trunk has been cut down ; this is especially 

 the case with Abies pectinata. 



The foregoing characters are, generally speaking, common throughput 

 the Taxaceas and Coiiiferse, but a few peculiarities that are met with in 

 the different tribes require separate notice. 



In the Yew the plexus of fibrous rootlets is always very great even 

 at an advanced age of the tree, so that the absorbent power of the roots 

 of a large Yew must be enormous. There can be no doubt that this 

 is one of the causes that contributes to the longevity of the Yew ; and 

 it is probable, too, that these rootlets have a limited power of selection 

 in the substances taken up by them, since the Yew will live and thrive 

 in soils of the most opposite description and maintain a tolerably constant 

 habit and colour of foliage everywhere. 



In the Sequoia tribe (Taxodinese), all the principal members of which 

 arc not only among the largest of Conifers, but also among the largest 

 of trees, the roots lengthen very rapidly from early life, and spread over 

 a large area always near the surface. A striking peculiarity is seen in 

 the roots of the deciduous Cypress (Taxodiuni distichum) when this tree 

 attains its maturity and is growing in swampy places, as it most 

 commonly does in its native forests in North America, or in close 

 proximity to water in England ; they form hollow conical or beehive- 

 shaped protuberances that rise several inches above the surface of the 

 ground in this country, but often much higher in their native swamps, 

 and which have never been noticed to produce buds from which shoots 

 proceed ; these protuberances are popularly called " knees." The roots 

 of the large deciduous Cypress at Syon House, the subject of our 

 illustration in the article on Taxodium, have spread to a distance of 

 more than twenty yards from 'the bole. 



In many of the species belonging to the Cypress tribe (Cupressineae), 

 and which are mostly of fastigiate or strict habit, the primary roots 

 lengthen but slowly, although they increase in thickness considerably 

 during the first years of the life of the tree ; but the rootlets form a 

 dense plexus, occupying a circular area not much greater than the spread 

 of the brandies above. It is not till the tree has acquired some age, 

 and the soil in immediate proximity to it lias become quite exhausted, 

 that the roots lengthen to any considerable extent in search of nutriment, 



* It is not, however, advisable to remove large trees, especially of the Fir and Pine 

 tribe, whose roots extend far from the trunk, and which cannot even with the greatest 

 cure be removed without destroying and injuring a large proportion of the rootlets. 



