THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRUNING. 267 



tem and order which everywhere pervade the visible 

 creation, is it not reasonable to infer that every part 

 of the vegetable structure is alike essential to its 

 well-being ? Are not the branches and leaves as in- 

 dispensable to the tree as the limbs and lungs are to 

 the animal? Who will say otherwise 1 ? Nature 

 produces nothing in vain. Although we may assist 

 in carrying out her designs, we cannot cross her 

 purposes without suffering the penalty imposed for 

 a violation of her laws. 



No one part of a plant can be affected without at 

 the same time affecting the other parts. Roots and 

 branches reciprocally produce and nourish each 

 other. If a tree has part of its roots destroyed, the 

 branches which these support will decay ; and when, 

 on the other hand, some of the branches are destroy- 

 ed, a portion of the roots will perish also. The ex- 

 tent and form of the one will, in a measure, ever cor- 

 respond with the extent and form of the other. If 

 a young tree be kept close pruned divested of its 

 limbs and foliage it will soon be stinted in its 

 growth, the wood will become carious and diseased, 

 and the plant will be short-lived. If, therefore, we 

 destroy the equilibrium which nature has establish- 

 ed between roots and branches, by greatly diminish- 

 ing the one or the other, we thwart her designs and 

 mistake our own interest. Every branch has its 

 roots its mouths in the soil, to supply it with the 

 elements of its nourishment ; and every root has its 

 branch and its leaves its lungs in the air, to con- 

 vert those elements into food for the joint benefit 

 of them both and of the stem. One cannot attain 

 growth without the co-operation of the other. With- 

 out the roots the plant cannot receive the elements 

 of its food, and without the leaves, those elements, 

 when taken into the system, are of no benefit ; but, 

 on the contrary, like undigested food in the animal 

 stomach, generate disease instead' of promoting 

 health and vigour. Every leaf performs its office 



