446 Jiemarlcs and Observations sms^ested 



toto"- 



trate the sap, we may expect abundance of blossom the ensuing 

 year. But if the plant is excessively vigorous, unless the ela- 

 borating agents are likewise in excess, flowers and fruit cannot 

 be expected ; the tree will grow to wood in the ensuing season, 

 from few flower-buds being formed, the sap not being elaborated 

 properly : what would have been a benefit, is thus converted 

 into a drawback ; and in order to insure the elaboration of the 

 sap, since we cannot augment the power of the elaborating 

 agents, we must decrease the quantity of sap to be elaborated, 

 by giving the tree extent, making the borders poorer, curtailing 

 large arms from the root, ringing and depressing the branches ; 

 and the smaller quantity of sap furnished is thus more easily and 

 perfectly elaborated, and the more perfect state of existence pro- 

 duced. The size and quality of the fruit are, however, nourished 

 by the vigour of the tree ; and when blossom is once produced, 

 the most vigorous tree will undoubtedly produce the best fruit. 

 The quantity of flavour thus depends on the manner in which 

 the sap is elaborated ; the quality of the fruit, on the quantity of 

 sap : the more sap that can be elaborated, the more blossom 

 there will be. Old trees that have attained their height are not 

 so vigorous in the young shoots ; the shoots are shorter, and the 

 bark thicker, and they ripen sooner and more perfectly, and 

 are more productive of fruit. A graft of a young seedling, intro- 

 duced among these branches, will thus flower and show fruit 

 much sooner than if growing on its own plant, not come to 

 maturity. In preparing bulbous roots, also, for flowering the 

 ensuing season, as hyacinths, amaryllis, &c., when we cannot 

 ripen a large root sufficiently, we had better be content with 

 a small one well ripened; a firm, hard, well-ripened root is 

 always the best, though the size should be smaller. In the same 

 way, when we cannot flower plants, as O'xalis crenata, Tropae'o- 

 lum tuberosum, &c., which have only one season to grow from the 

 root, and on which we cannot wait for years to exhaust by exten- 

 sion ; if we cannot increase the heat and light in the requisite 

 degree, we must impoverish the soil, and water sparingly : the 

 principle is the same throughout, and of universal application, 

 where we cannot increase the power, we must decrease the 

 quantity. We see also hence the origin of double flowers. When 

 flowers come double, it is generally by changing the higher 

 state of existence of stamens and pistils into the lower state of 

 petals ; and the more the plant is checked or stunted by poor 

 soil or want of water, the more likely we are, by giving luxu- 

 riant food and treatment afterwards, to bring back the stamens 

 and pistils to petals, and produce double flowers. The greater 

 the check, the more will be the effect of subsequent luxuriance, 

 by shifting into rich soil, watering well, giving heat, and doing 

 all in our power to induce great vigour and a flow of crude sap; 



