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for roots of various kinds, if so disposed, to penetrate the joints 

 of the pipe and secure an abundant supply of water. During 

 November, 1909, about seven years after the drain pipe was 

 installed, it became necessary to dig up a large part of it on 

 account of its inefficiency and replace it. It was found on digging 

 up this tile that it was badly congested by a profuse root growth. 

 A careful examination of the location showed that this growth 



Fig. I. — Showing pear tree root taken from drain tile. 



of roots originated from a single off-shoot of a pear tree located 

 some seven feet away. This enormous mass of pear roots was 

 removed from the tile and carefully laid aside and at our request 

 was presented to our museum, with full data concerning it. 

 The roots were found to measure 61 feet in length. Only a 

 single root entered the tile, it having a diameter of about five- 

 eighths of an inch inside the tile, but where it entered the tile it 

 was somewhat flattened out. The root, on entering the tile, 

 subdivided into innumerable rootlets, and these were again di- 

 vided into countless smaller roots. At the time the tile was 



