THE ROOT. 23 



2. First, then, the Root. 



Every plant is divided, as I just said, in the main, into two 

 parts, and these have opposite natures. One part seeks the 

 light ; the other hates it. One part feeds on the air ; the other 

 on the dust. 



The part that loves the light is called the Leaf. It is an old 

 Saxon word ; I cannot get at its origin. The part that hates 

 the light is called the Boot. 



In Greek, pt'a, Rhiza.* 



In Latin, Radix, "the growing thing," which shortens, in 

 French, into Race, and then they put on the diminutive ' ine,' 

 and get their two words, Race, and Racine, of which we keep 

 Race for animals, and use for vegetables a word of our own 

 Saxon (and Dutch) dialect, ' root ; ' (connected with Rood 

 an image of wood ; whence at last the Holy Rood, or Tree). 



3. The Root has three great functions : 

 1st. To hold the plant in its place. 



2nd. To nourish it with earth. 



3rd. To receive vital power for it from the earth. 



With this last office is in some degree, and especially in 

 certain plants, connected, that of reproduction. 



But in all plants the root has these three essential func- 

 tions. 



First, I said, to hold the Plant in its place. The Root is its 

 Fetter. 



You think it, perhaps, a matter of course that a plant is not 

 to be a crawling thing ? It is not a matter of course at all. 

 A vegetable might be just what it is now, as compared with 

 an animal ; might live on earth and water instead of on meat, 

 might be as senseless in life, as calm in death, and in all its 

 parts and apparent structure unchanged ; and yet be a crawl- 

 ing thing. It is quite as easy to conceive plants moving about 

 like lizards, putting forward first one root and then another, 

 as it is to think of them fastened to their place. It might have 

 been well for them, one would have thought, to have the power 



* Learn this word, at any rate ; and if you know any Greek, learn 

 also this group of words : " &s plfa tv yy S^OMTT;," which you may chanc 

 to meet with, and even to think about, some day. 



