CASUALTIES OF VEGETABLES. CHAP. XII. 



roots, which are often found much swelled after 

 rain. It affects fruits also which it renders watery and 

 insipid. It prevents the ripening of seeds, and oc- 

 casions an immoderate production of roots from 

 the stem. Succulent plants in particular are apt 

 to suffer from too profuse waterings, and the 

 Incurable, disease thus occasioned is generally incurable.* 

 The leaves drop, even though plump and green ; and 

 the fruit rots before reaching maturity. In this 

 case the absorption seems to be too great in propor- 

 tion to the transpiration ; but the soil when too 

 much manured produces similar effects. Du Hamel 

 planted some Elms in a soil that was particularly 

 well manured, and accordingly they pushed with 

 great vigour for some time ; but at the end of five 

 or six years they all died suddenly. The bark was 

 found to be detached from the wood, and the cavity 

 filled up with a reddish-coloured water. 



SUBSECTION VI. 



Notal- Flux of Juices. Some trees, but particularly 

 \KHciaf e " ti le ^ a k an d Birch, are liable to a great loss of sap, 

 either bursting out spontaneously, owing to a super- 

 abundance of sap, or issuing from accidental wounds. 

 Sometimes it is injurious to the health of the plant, 

 and sometimes not. There is a spontaneous ex- 

 travasation of the sap of the Vine, known by the 

 name of the Tears of the Vine, which is not injuri- 

 * Princip. of Bot. p. 



