BOTANY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 117 



greater number of branches and leaves, for bear- 

 ing fruit diminishes the number and size of 

 both, besides soon wearing out the tree. 



L. I should think the more fruit it bore, the 

 more it would be able to bear ; when it was in 

 the right kind of ground and in the habit of 

 yielding a large supply, why not continue ? 



E. A little reflection would soon show you 

 the reason. Though immense numbers of 

 germs are scattered throughout the tree, yet they 

 are not inexhaustable, and just in proportion, as 

 slips are taken from it, will the number of seeds 

 it bears in each fruit diminish ; every seed di- 

 minishes the number of germs left. As a mat- 

 ter of course, orchards that yield large 'crops of 

 fruit must have a new set of trees every few 

 years. 



L. The Century Aloe, we saw some time 

 since in Broadway, died directly after producing 

 its flowers and fruit. 



E. It had been many years accumulating the 

 material with which to produce them. The 

 Mexicans take advantage of this and remove 

 the juice so that it cannot flower. They care- 

 fully watch the plant from the size of a little 

 cone of leaves and roots, which is constantly in- 



