58, Causes of Ignorance in Arhoriculture. 



and leaf-bud ; then, descending still lower, strip off the last 

 year's lateral (side) shoot from the preceding year's wood 

 (which operation may be done with the fingers and thumb), 

 and they will then see it farther illustrated ; and, pursuing 

 the examination still farther, strip off a two years' lateral 

 shoot from the main one, when it will be seen (more con- 

 vincingly, if possible) how the descending fibres from above 

 have increased and enclosed it to the main stem ; also, how 

 the descending fibres turn over, and to each side of, the pro- 

 tuberance at the base of the lateral shoot, at its emission from 

 the pith or centre, and descend downwards. These exa- 

 minations, I think, must convince the most incredulous, of 

 leaves and branches being the means of supplying the mate- 

 rial, and the cause of the increase of the diameter, of the stem : 

 hence the absolute necessity of numerous branches, twigs, 

 and leaves, in a healthy state, to produce much good timber 

 in the shortest time ; whatever Mr. Howden and others may 

 assert to the contrary. 



Thus we see how the bulk is increased regularly from the 

 extreme point of each year's young shoot, from leaf to leaf on 

 the young shoot, from lateral shoot to lateral shoot, and from 

 branch to branch progressively down, to the collar or junc- 

 tion of the stem with the root. This is beautifully exempli- 

 fied in some of the conical trees, such as the larch and poplar ; 

 and I am inclined to think that the roots of trees are in- 

 creased in a similar manner-; that the office of the trunk and 

 branches is, only with differently formed organs, to imbibe 

 necessary nourishment. Mr. Lindley, howevei", seems to be of 

 a different opinion ; as he says. Lecture 3. (Vol. VIII. p. 510.), 

 " Those portions of the roots nearest the trunk are, in fact, 

 only elongated portions of the stem, stretching into the ground 

 for the purpose of giving stability to the tree." On this point 

 I must beg to differ from such high authority ; for, let any one 

 take the same method to examine the roots that has been 

 recommended for the stem and branches. It will be found, I 

 believe, to increase by ascending fibres towards the collar, 

 common centre, or the point where the ascending stem and 

 descending root spring from in the seed. I have stated this 

 merely for more skilful persons to investigate, as it is rather 

 foreign to the present subject. It would hence appear to be 

 clearly demonstrated tluU leaves and branches are indispens- 

 able for the increase of timber, at least according to such 

 recent authorities as Mr. Lindley and Mr. Main, whom you 

 so highly applaud. Still, from what Mr. Howden and some 

 others have published on the subject, some may and do think 

 that the leaves and branches are of little or no importance, as 



