158 The Great World's Farm 



become evergreen, putting out fresh leaves all the year 

 round, and are so exhausted for want of their customary 

 rest that they are unable to ripen their fruit. This is the 

 case even when they are taken to the cooler hill-country 

 of Ceylon; and it is true even with regard to the vine, 

 which, though a native of warm climates, still is not a 

 tropical plant, and is accustomed to shed its leaves year 

 by year. In the tropics, however, its leaves remain green, 

 instead of giving up their stores to feed the fruit as they 

 ought; the grapes fall off almost unformed, and the vine 

 puts all its energy into growing leaves instead of fruit, not 

 having strength for both. The one thing which it lacks is 

 i-est — the rest which in winter it is compelled to take. 



It being, however, impossible to provide the vines with 

 winter-cold in Ceylon, it was suggested that heat might 

 perhaps be made to answer the purpose as well, and the 

 experiment was tried of laying the roots bare for a time to 

 the strongest sun. This had the effect of checking the 

 flow of sap as effectually as frost could have done: the 

 leaves dropped, the vines had their sleep, and awoke from 

 it so refreshed and invigorated that they were able to bring 

 their crop to maturity; and this plan has been adopted 

 with success both in Ceylon and Bombay. 



In those tropical regions, outside the equatorial belt, 

 where there are periodical rainy seasons and long droughts, 

 the latter answer all the purpose of winter, and are, indeed, 

 winter, so far as vegetation is concerned, in spite of their 

 intense heat. Trees and shrubs are as leafless in the desert 

 of Nubia, for instance, before the rains set in, as if it were 

 mid-winter, in spite of, or, rather, in consequence of, the 

 terrible heat; and thus a time of rest is secured to them. 



In the Far North we have a very different state of things. 



