168 On the Management of Peach Trees. 



sorbed by tbe spongioles, is again carried upwards, and is stored 

 in the branches during their period of repose. This stored-up 

 sap is partly not elaborated — partly elaborated, but not assim- 

 ilated ; its purity depends upon the correlative influence exist- 

 ing between the roots and the branches ; thus, if the roots 

 have absorbed no more sap than the leaves have been able to 

 convert into cambium, and proper juice, more woody fibre 

 will be formed — and the sap, though less in quantity, will be 

 more rcfnied in quality. The liber and alburnum will be 

 thinner, but of finer and more woody texture ; and the tree, 

 altogether in a condition to withstand better the vicissitudes 

 of winter. In trees, where the absorption of the roots have been 

 too much for the assimilative power of the leaves, a large de- 

 position of cambium has been induced, but not finished be- 

 fore the assimilating power of the leaves have been destroyed. 

 The alburnum, liber, and pith, are merely sponges of watery 

 matter. The medullary rays, and whole cellular tissue is 

 filled with crude, imassimilated sap — the frost acting upon 

 these watery elements, it expands them — the sap-vessels are 

 rent asunder, as will frequently be seen, in the bursting of the 

 bark ; the organization of the tree is destroyed, and death is 

 the consequence. 



Let any persons examine their peach trees, and they will 

 easily discover whether disease be not already in their sys- 

 tem. If the disease be considerably advanced, the pith and 

 alburnum will present a brown, discolored appearance, and, in 

 some cases, appear completely disintegrated. On examining 

 a number of trees, a few days ago, I found them in various 

 stages of decay — some, with the alburnum and liber in a state 

 of decay, while the pith and woody fibre appeared quite 

 healthy ; others, with the pith, and all the layers of bark de- 

 cayed ; and some, with the alburnum only. When the decay 

 has well-nigh done its work, all the parts will appear discol- 

 ored. The decay, in all these stages, may be in the tree, and 

 yet be apparently healthy, but its doom is sealed, and the 

 sooner its place is supplied, the better. 1 do not, for one mo- 

 ment believe, (as I have heard many assert,) that the disease 

 is hereditary, or constitutional, for trees of similar constitu- 

 tions, though of different genera, if subjected to the same 

 conditions, will be similarly affected. Sometimes one part of 



