22 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 



parts of fruit-trees, and the names by which each is 

 known in practice. 



Section 1. — ^The Root. ' 



/ 



The Root is composed of several parts. 

 1st. The collar [A^ fig. 1), which is the center of 

 growth, or point of union be- 

 tween tlie root and stem, usu- 

 ally at or just below the surface 

 of the ground. In root grafting 

 seedlings, this is the point where 

 the graft is set. 



2(1. Tiie body or mnin root 

 (-5, fig. 1), which usually pene^ 

 trates the earth in a vertical di- 

 rection, and decreases in size as 

 it proceeds do wnw arils from the 

 collar. It is also called the tap- 

 root. A seedling that has not 

 been transplanted has xisually 

 but one descending or tap-root, 

 furnished, in all its length, with 

 minute hairy fibres. 



3d. The lateral roots {C, fig. 

 1) are principal divisions or 

 branches of the main root, and 

 take more or less of a spreading 

 or horizontal direction. When 

 seedlings are transplanted, a por- 

 tion of the tap-root is cut off, and 

 these lateral, or side roots, are 

 immediately formed. 



4th. The fibres or rootlets (i), fig. 1) are the minute 

 hair-like roots which we see most abundant on trees that 

 have been frequently transplanted. Different species of 



4, the Collar ; B, the Main Root ; 

 C, Lateral Root ; D. Fihres ; E, 

 fetem, orTnink ; i?',Main Branch- 

 es ; 6^, Secondary Branches ; //, 

 Slioots of one year's growth. 



