THE ROOT OF THE MATTER. 



branches correspond roughly in situation 

 with one another, so that if you were to 

 unearth and expose the entire tree you 

 would find it composed of two tolerably 

 similar domes or hemispheres one erect 

 and aerial, and one inverted and earth- 

 bound, each occupying approximately equal 

 areas, and each circumscribed by fairly 

 equal circles. 



Why should this be so ? It is clear 

 enough, of course, that in order to fasten 

 a big tree firmly in the ground, it must 

 have numerous large and strong founda- 

 tions. But wherefore this approximate 

 equality in the areas occupied by roots 

 and frondage ? The answer is, because 

 every large tree forms a sort of umbrella, 

 a domed roof or catchment basin for the 

 rain that falls upon it ; and it has always 

 its own peculiar and admirably adapted 

 arrangement for conducting all the water 

 it intercepts to certain special spots or 

 drinking-places in the ground, where it 

 193 o 



