4^« 



PRODUCTION OF 



Sect. XVII. 2.2. 



be taken out of the ground for ufe before that time. 



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ftems with numerous flower-buds above ground, but alfo other new 

 buds on their caudex, or upper part of the roots beneath the foil ; 

 all which buds protrude their new caudexes not only over thofe 

 ftems, but alfo over the old root-branches ; and thus form annually 

 a new bark over the old root, which remains alive beneath the 



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ground, though the ftem perifhes hy the winter frofts. This happens 

 €xa6lly in the fame manner as the bark of trees, which annually is 

 produced over the old bark of the root as well as of the tirunk j but 

 in trees the flem-bark as well as the root-bark furvives the winter. 

 Hence thefe palmated or branching roots of perennial herbaceous 

 plants, as of rhubarb, madder, liquorice, continue to increafe in fizc 

 by the fuper-addition of an annual new bark ; but in four or five 

 years the internal part begins to decay, and the roots therefore (hould 



It is faid in the 

 tranfadions of the Society for Encouragement of Arts, Vol. XVI. 



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p. 226, that thofe rhubarb roots, which were not taken up, till they 

 were feven or more years old, were moft of them good for nothing 

 from the decay of the internal part of the root. The fame is faid to 

 happen to fome bulbous roots, as the hyacinth ; and occurs in all 

 thofe roots, which are faid to be end-bitten, as a fpecies of fcabius 

 called devil's-bit. See Se6l. IX. 3. 5. 



They fhould then be taken up in the wiater months, before the 



acquire nourifhment from the 

 root, by which it would be deprived of a part of the nutritious, co- 

 louring, or medical matters ; which principally refide in the bark, or 

 alburnum of it. On this laft account alfo thefe roots fhould not be 

 permitted to continue in the ground a much longer time than that 

 above mentioned, though the internal or woody part of the root may 

 not decay ; as the woody part is Icfs adapted to the purpofes expedt- 

 cd than the bark and alburnum, which cover or conflitute the nu- 

 nierous branches of the root, 



2. One method to increafe the lize of thefe palmated or branch- 



new buds or flower-ftems begin to 



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