Anatomy of the Vine. 135 



form a leaf. Now, admitting my average statement of 48 

 divisions forming the whole number of a collet, such a num- 

 ber would be disposed of in forming the first 8 leaves ; be- 

 cause the 6 divisions, multiplied by the 8 leaves, would be 

 equal to the 48 : consequently, reasoning from the above con- 

 clusions, a shoot could not extend in length beyond 8 leaves. 

 There is another fact, which is well known to every gardener, 

 that a summer shoot of a vine will extend 10, 20, and 30 ft. 

 in length, and produce at least 2 leaves on every foot of its 

 growth. 



These are certainly three very conflicting circumstances, as 

 far as relates to those facts ; but how easily are these apparent 

 inconsistencies removed, when we further investigate the 

 beautiful arrangement on the outside of the divisions of a 

 joint, and discover that some of the remaining divisions are 

 paradoxically divided into two parts ; and that each of them 

 should become in size equal to the original one from which 

 they proceeded, for the purpose of replacing those which had 

 been appropriated to form the leaf ! These subdivisions may 

 be readily understood by referring to Jig. 23., and tracing 

 from the bottom the 9th, 11th, and 16th bundles, upwards to 

 the joint; where it represents those three bundles of vascular 

 texture, each dividing into two parts, forming, in the upper 

 collet, the 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 16th, and 17th divisions, 

 being the additional number of three divisions; and three 

 others would be formed, in like manner, on the opposite side 

 of the joint. So that, although 6 divisions were taken away 

 from the lower collet, others are subdivided to make up 

 that deficiency which otherwise would take place in the upper 

 collet ; and a similar operation takes place at every joint. 



How two halves should, in every respect, be equal in size 

 to the original division from which they proceeded, and con- 

 tain a similar number of vessels, each consisting of medulla, 

 spiral vessels, alburnum including its vessels, liber, vascular 

 and cellular texture, may be considered another of those won- 

 derful and secret works of nature which it is beyond my abili- 

 ties to explain : I shall, therefore, only proceed to describe the 

 further supposed subdivisions that may take place in an ex- 

 tended shoot of a vine, forming a nominal calculation upon 

 one of 20 ft. long. We will suppose, on every 4 ft. in length, 

 that 8 leaves shall be growing : consequently, those leaves will 

 require the 48 divisions of a collet, as before mentioned. As 

 we proceed, we will make a slight sketch {Jig. 28.) of our 

 progress , for it will facilitate the calculation. 



The 9th division in Jig. 23. shall be the one selected ; and 

 it shall be a in the sketch. 



k 4 



