8 



THE ROOTS. 



down a long tap-root deep into the mud of its native swamps. 

 Abies grandis, Thuia gigantea, Sequoia .sempervirens and other species 

 which inhabit the alluvial plains of Oregon and the low- lying 

 maritime districts of California are deep-rooted, both in their native 

 country and when transplanted in Great Britain; but in all these, 



as well as in the other species 

 that attain the dimensions 

 of large trees, strong secondary 

 roots branch off' from the 

 primary or main axis, and 

 with their ramifications spread 

 horizontally through the soil 

 near the surface or with a 

 slight obliquity downwards. 

 Generally the roots of 

 coniferous trees and shrubs 

 are produced freely from the 

 seedling plant ; at first but 

 slender thread-like organs 

 ramifying at short intervals, 

 and sub-dividing repeatedly 

 as they increase in size, 

 they form a network spread 

 over an area which in all 

 the kinds cultivated in 

 this country is never less 

 than the spread of the 

 branches of the stem, whence 

 the newly-formed rootlets are 

 brought within reach of the 

 rain dripping from the foliage. 

 In the adult trees the spread 

 of the roots very often exceeds 

 the spread of the branches ; 

 they thence not only form 

 a broad base for the support 

 of the superincumbent mass 

 of stem and branches, but they are also exceedingly tough in texture, 

 and cling tenaciously to the soil through which they penetrate and 

 to the rocks over which they creep. Hence it is that many coniferous 

 trees are so well enabled to withstand the force of high winds without 

 being blown down. The rootlets are exceedingly numerous, and must 

 therefore possess in the aggregate an enormous absorbent power a 



Fig. 5. Seedling plant of CepJmlohixus drttj !<<. 

 c, cotyledon ; p. primordial leaf. 



