STRIPPING OFF THE LEAVES DISCUSSED. 429 



produce at the usual time of maturity. This practice, 

 which is quite opposed to our knowledge of vegetable 

 physiology, was far more general a few years back than it 

 is now. As there are many, however, who still adhere to 

 it, it is worth while to discuss the principles involved, 

 and see how far the practice is admissible or not. We have 

 already (page 285) alluded to the functions of the leaves in 

 the plant economy, and have shown the important duties 

 they have to perform, which would at once lead us to believe 

 that they cannot be removed, in part or in whole, from 

 the plant, without a proportionate injury being sustained 

 by it. As, however, the plant progresses in its growth, 

 the necessity for the first-formed leaves no doubt decreases 

 the later leaves, naturally more vigorous, assuming the 

 active functions of food-providers for the plant, and the 

 lower leaves droop and show symptoms of decay. If at 

 this particular period they are carefully removed from the 

 plant without injuring the other leaves, the loss to the 

 plant would probably be too slight to affect its growth in 

 any way, while the removed leaves would have some 

 value for feeding purposes. To effect this, however, an 

 amount of careful labour would be required, under ordi- 

 nary circumstances, far beyond the value of the substance 

 obtained ; the leaves would require to be gathered very 

 frequently, which could not be done without inflicting 

 some injury on the crop. The opinions of a large majo- 

 rity of our leading growers are certainly opposed to the 

 practice j 1 it has, however, been the subject of direct 

 experiments, which, although they leave the question in 

 an unsettled state, are not inconsistent with the opinions 

 now given. 



1 In a paper "On the Cultivation of Mangold," Mr. Paget, M.P., says "Let 

 nothing induce the grower to strip the leaves from the plant before taking tip 

 the root. A series of careful experiments has convinced me that by so doing 

 we borrow food at a most usurious interest." Roy. Agri. Soc. Jour., vol. xvii. 

 p. 400. 



