90 NUT GROWING 



which purposely suberizes the bases of twigs of the 

 year. Many of these blow off, take root, and act as 

 a means for increase of the species. 



At the moment of writing I cannot find reference 

 to the published report of an incident which is 

 worthy of attention. A large pecan limb torn off 

 in a spring hurricane and driven forcibly into the 

 ground is said to have taken root and to be growing 

 thriftily several years after the occurrence. If one 

 pecan limb can act in this way it is a fair presump- 

 tion that the horticulturist may eventually grow 

 other nut trees in this way, provided that he can 

 find the principle that is involved without feeling 

 called upon to furnish hurricanes for the purpose. 



In the question of wounds, accidental or for pur- 

 poses of grafting, we have to deal with processes 

 of repair and with obstacles to repair in plant 

 surgery quite as well as in animal surgery. The 

 principles of animal surgery have been developed to 

 a very high degree because of the direct and imme- 

 diate consequence of neglect of such principles when 

 man or his domesticated animals are involved. We 

 are now entering upon a quite new era in plant 

 surgery. It will be similar to animal surgery at 

 many points of contact for the reason that plants 

 and animals are colloid machines. All of their func- 

 tions are colloid functions, dependent upon proto- 

 plasm, which is the organic unit of all life, animal 

 or vegetable. Protoplasm conducts growth, makes 

 repair, guards against enemies and attends to nuptial 



