1S39] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



growth of a young tree, or of any plant which 

 spreads its roots to some distance, the manure 

 should not be placed at the point where the stem 

 enters the ground, but at some distance Irom that 

 point, and as nearly as possible over the extremi- 

 ties of the roots ; because it is at these parts, and 

 these alone, that the roots can absorb the nourish- 

 ment llirnislied by the manure. Second, when a 

 vine is to be set out near a tree, in order that it 

 may be supported by that tree, it should be set 

 close to the trunk, rather than at the distance of 

 several feet from it, because if set at the distance 

 of several leet from the tree, its spongelets will 

 have to absorb nourishment from the same portion 

 of earth as those of the tree, and thus the two 

 will interlere with each other's growth ; but, if 

 placed near to the tree, the spongelets of the two 

 will operate upon diHerent portions of earth, and 

 of course will not interfere with each other. Third, 

 as what is commonly called the soil is the portion 

 of earth which furnishes nourishment most abun- 

 dantly, it is advisable to cause the roots of a 

 plant to spread horizontally, rather than perpen- 

 dicularly ; to keep them in the soil, rather than to 

 eufler them to penetrate beneath it. This the 

 German gardeners effect, in the case of fruit-trees, 

 by placing a Hat stone in the bottom of ihe hole in 

 which the trees are to be set, and then setting the 

 young tree directly upon this stone. There is 

 only one precaution to be observed in adopting 

 this method, and that is, not to place the flat 

 stone too near the surface, least the roots should 

 not take sufficient hold upon the ground, to ena- 

 ble the tree to resist the action of high winds. 

 The best point at which the roots of a tree can 

 spread, is along ihe lower surface of the soil. 

 The reason lor this we shall see, when we come 

 to examine into the nature of the sap. Fourth, 

 in transplanting trees we should take great care of 

 the rootlets, or smaller sub-divisions of the root, 

 as these are the efficient parts of that organ. If 

 the root have several branches, it is better to cut 

 off all those branches excepting one, and to retain 

 that one with all its sub-divisions perfect, than to 

 cut off the ends of all the branches, as is the com- 

 mon practice. I have heard of an excellent jilan, 

 Bometimes pursued in transplanting the arbor-vita, 

 or fiat cedar, (thuga occidentalis,') a tree which it 

 is very difficult to move without killing. The 

 plan is this. During the spring preceding the 

 autumn or winter when the young trees are to be 

 removed, the roots are all cut off at a convenient 

 distance fi^om the stem, (a fool or eighteen inches 

 will be sufficient if the tree is small) by striking a 

 sharp spade in the ground, at the point where 

 they are to be cut. The tree is then left standing 

 for the summer ; during this time the branches of 

 the root, being deprived of the greater part of 

 their rootlets, will form others in great numbers, 

 and of course all of these will be situated near the 

 stem, and will be easily removed with it. When- 

 ever a young tree is removed according to the 

 method ordmarily pursued, it of course has to 

 form almost an entire set of new rootlets, before it 

 can be prepared to operate to advantage in its 

 new situation. Besides this, it has to establish 

 the rootlets which are left attached to its stem, in 

 a new place. The effect of both of these opera- 

 tions, is to check the growth of the plant. Sud- 

 den and great checks, are always much more in- 

 jurious to the growth of a plant; that slighter 



checks, though they operate for a much longer 

 time. The advantage of the plan which I have 

 mentioned, over the common plan lies in this; 

 that a slight check continued for some time, is 

 substituted for a sudden and great one. Fifth, as 

 rootlets, and more especially spongelets, are deli- 

 cate organs, and of course easily broken, it is 

 much better to take up at least a portion of earth 

 with the root, than violently to shake all the earth 

 off. Where the earth is shaken off, or the plant 

 pulled up, instead of dug up, a great many of the 

 rootlets are always broken off, and of course the 

 growth of the plant is checked. It is an excellent 

 plan, to remove young trees whilst the ground is 

 frozen hard around their roots. In such circum- 

 stances, the earth which is attached to the root, 

 seldom breaks off, and thus, all destruction of the 

 rootlets is avoided. 



Both of these plans last suggested, have, to 

 my own knowledge, been pursued with evident 

 advantage. In the case of trees, such as the 

 arbor-vitcB, which it is difficult to remove without 

 killing, they should always be pursued ; in the 

 case of many trees, trees of easy growth, it does 

 not seem to make so much difference; yet, even 

 in the case of these, there can be no doubt that 

 it does make a difierence. There is always a 

 best way of doing every thing; and if we would 

 expend our labor to the greatest advantage, we 

 should always endeavor to ascertain this best 

 way, and if it be but a little more difEcult or la- 

 borious than an inferior one, always pursue it. 

 It is by attending to little things that great things 

 are accomplished ; and more especially is this true 

 with respect to improvements in agriculture. Be- 

 sides this, it should always be borne in mind, that 

 a difference which may he inconsiderable in the 

 case of a single plant, may become one of great 

 importance in the case of a crop, consisting, as ma- 

 ny of our common crops do, of^ thousands and tens 

 of thousands of plants. 



There is a fact, with respect to biennial plants, 

 which is worthy of notice. Biennial plants are such 

 as require two years to attain their full growth; 

 or such as bear (heir seed the second season after 

 they are planted. During the first year of their 

 growth, their vital energy is expended in Ihe for- 

 mation and enlargement of their root, and in fill- 

 ling its cellules with nutricious matter. During the 

 second year, their roots undergo no increase of size; 

 but the whole of the nutritious matter collected in 

 them during the previous year's growth, is expend- 

 ed in perfecting the stem and seed. All are fa- 

 milliar with the fact, that whilst the root of a com- 

 mon beet {beta vulgaris,') aflbrds a great deal of 

 nourishment if taken at the close of its first year's 

 growth, it is good for nothing after the plant has 

 gone to seed. The reason of this is, that when we 

 delay until at the close of the second year, the plant 

 anticipates us, and we get nothing but the dry 

 empty cellules, or boxes, from which the nutritious 

 matter has been already removed. 



The most important office of the root, is that 

 which I liave already mentioned, viz : to absorb 

 nourishment from the soil. When a plant first 

 springs into independent being, it sends one single 

 stem upwards, and a single root downwards. As 

 the stem spreads, the root also spreads. As the 

 twig of one year the next year becomes a branch, 

 so the rootlet of one year Ihe next year becomes a 

 root ; and thus the two go on increasing propor- 



