548 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



heat and air. It is practised with grapes, pears, 

 apples, &c. The distance between the laterals 

 should be from 10 to 20 inches, according to the 

 size of the tree or vine." 



STRUCTURE OP VEGETABLES— OR- 

 GANIC FUNCTIONS. 



A plant consists externally of, 1, root; 2, stem ; 

 3, leaves ; 4, fructiGcation, or flower and fruit. 



The root fixes the plant in the earth, serving the 

 double purpose of holding it in place and position 

 to receive nourishment, and also of absorbing from 

 the earth those substances which are essential to 

 its nourishment and vital action. The stem con- 

 sists of pith, wood, and bark. The internal struc- 

 ture of the plant is composed of cellular tissue, 

 woody fibre and a system of spiral tubes, which 

 are each disseminated through the plant, and serve 

 important purposes in the vegetable economy. The 

 pith consists mostly of cellular tissue. This part 

 of the plant sometimes constitutes nearly the whole 

 stem, as in the cane and Indian corn. The pith 

 sometimes furnishes a very nutritious and agreea- 

 ble diet, as is the case with the sago palm, whose 

 pith is used by us for puddings, being the common 

 sago of the shops. It is highly probable that the 

 pith of our corn would make, if prepared aright, 

 an article equally salubrious and pleasant for the 

 table. The cellular tissue, the woody fibre and 

 the spiral tubular system all serve for absorbing 

 and transmitting the proper food of the plant and 

 for inspiration. This last function has been sup- 

 posed to be performed by the spiral system, which, 

 however, is considered to be disproved by the ex- 

 periments of Darwin and Knight, which show these 

 vessels to be the channels through which the sap is 

 conveyed. Every part of a plant is covered with 

 a cuticle or skin, like the bodies of animals. Be- 

 neath this is a cellular integument ; and under this 

 the bark and wood. 



Though vegetables absorb water and the atmos- 

 pheric gases at all points of their surface, it is par- 

 ticularly by their roots that they absorb it in great- 

 est quantity. They are capable, however, of sus- 

 taining life by merely the absorption of their other 

 parts. Some interesting experiments were made 

 in Scotland many years ago on this point, which 

 fully proved this fact. A tree was grafted on to 

 two others, standing each side in contact, and af- 

 ter the connection by the grafts had become com- 

 plete, the stem was sawed asunder, leaving no 

 communication with the roots and the ground. It 

 was connected, however, with the roots of the sup- 

 porting trees. It lived and flourished as well as 

 before. This experiment proves another fact more 

 satisfactorily, that the vegetable structure is capa- 

 ble of transmitting the sap in either direction, 

 which has also been proved by other experiments 

 with col >red liquids. 



Wa( i '.;;;■ ml I with many substances , and 



particularly with carbonic acid, is carried up by the 

 roots into the stem, and by the spiral vessels con- 

 veyed to all parts of the plant. Or perhaps the 

 carbonic acid is formed in the plant by the absorp- 

 tion of air in the upper portion of the plant and 

 its mixture with the water absorbed by the roots. 

 This composes the sap,, and is carried to all parts 

 of the vegetable, and lastly to the leaves, where ic 

 ia transformed into the proper juice of the plant, 

 and returned to all parts again. It is in this re- 

 turning circulation, that the oils, rosins, gums, 

 and odors of the plant are produced. 



For the New England Farmer. 



A WORD TO YOUNG MEN. 



The long evenings which you may now enjoy 

 present to you golden opportunities for the ac- 

 quisition of knowledge and the improvement of 

 your minds. You cannot expect the tide of for- 

 tune gently to take you up and bear you on to 

 glory and renown. No, if you ever hope to fill the 

 stations, perform the duties and bear the respon- 

 sibilities of men, you must trim your sails and set 

 them to the breeze. If you look around you upon 

 the most distinguished men in active life, you will 

 find that they did not attain their present position 

 without labor and effort. They did not lazily fold 

 their arms and close their eyes upon the perspec- 

 tive of life, but they put forth all their energies to 

 accomplish the end they had in view. So must 

 you, if you ever expect to distinguish yourselves 

 in anything great or good. Seize then the "gold- 

 en ball of opportunity," and improve the hours 

 which can be spared from the laborious duties of 

 life, and consecrate them to the improvement of 

 your minds, and the acquisition of useful knowledge. 

 Thus, and thus only, can you become really useful 

 and distinguished members of society, and reason- 

 ably hope to be a blessing and an honor to the 

 world. Do not let the delusive phantom of a want 

 of genius deter you from entering upon this work 

 of self-improvement. As Longfellow has beauti- 

 fully expressed the sentiment, 



"Lives of great men nil remind us, 

 We can make our lives sublime, 



And departing, leave behind us 

 Footsteps on the sands of lime." 



Read over the lives of some of the most distin- 

 guished men, and see from what small beginnings 

 they raised the superstructure of their celebrity 

 and renown. If you feel an interest in' any partic- 

 ular branch of knowledge, begin that study ; pur- 

 sue it with diligence, and you will soon be sur- 

 prised at your progress. Difficulties, which at first 

 sight appeared insurmountable, will vanish before 

 you, and you will be cheered with the thought, 

 that you are daily increasing in knowledge and 

 wisdom. Cultivate your moral as well as your in- 

 tellectual powers, and endeavor to impress upon 

 everything around you an influence for gaod. 

 Thus shall you live a life that shall be honored of 

 God and man, and make you a name that shall 

 live when you sleep in the dust. The boundaries 

 of science are every day extending. Every year 

 brings with it some new discovery, which will con- 

 tinue to affect the condition of mankind through 

 all coming time. Every year witnesses some new 

 triumph of human genius and industry, which will 



