OF PLANTS. 15 



to know that the roots of all plants perform the 

 same function, that of absorbing nutriment from 

 the surrounding substances for the nutrition of 

 the plant. 



It may be and is matter of wonderment, that 

 such a vast variety of shapes, should be given 

 to an organ, provided in all cases for the same 

 purposes; but here our inquiry must cease, an 

 all- wise Providence has so endowed and created 

 them, and man even with his finite under- 

 standing is capable of appreciating the benefit 

 he derives from such an arrangement. 



A root usually consists of several parts, the 

 body, the crown or collar, the branches and the 

 fibres, which latter seem indispensable in all 

 plants. 



The most essential part of every root is the 

 crown, which is the portion of the plant be- 

 tween the stem or leaves, and the body of the 

 root. In many plants of a hardy nature nearly 

 the whole of the body of the root ma}^ be cut 

 away, and yet, if the crown be uninjured, still 

 the plant will flourish, but in the generality of 

 plants, if the crown be injured, no matter how 

 perfect soever the body may be, the plant is 

 usually destroyed. 



This remark applies to almost all kinds of 

 grasses, but there are some so tenacious of life 

 (such as the common couch-grass and plantain) 

 that they can only be extirpated by removing 

 every portion of the body of the root. 



When the crown of a root is slender it dries 

 up as the seeds ripen, and the plant soon dies; 

 such plants are termed annuals, as wheat, bar- 



