CONTENTS. 



BOOK I. 



OP THE PRINCIPAL CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH VEGETABLE LIFE 



WHICH ILLUSTRATE THE OPERATIONS OF GARbENING . . 5 



CHAPTER I. 

 Vital Force .... . . 



CHAPTER II. 



GEEMINATION. 



The Nature of a Seed. — Its Duration. — Power of Growth. — Causes of Ger- 

 mination. — Temperature. — Light. — Humidity. — Chemical Changes . 13 



CHAPTER III. 



ftEOWTH BT THE KOOI. 



Boots lengthen at their Points only. — Absorb at that Part chiefly. — Increase 

 in Diameter lite Stems. — Their Origin. — Are feeding Organs— without 

 much Power of selecting their Pood. Nature of the 'latter. — May be 

 poisoned. — Are constantly in Action. — Have been thought to poison 

 the Soil in which they grow. — Have no Buds — but may generate them . 17 



CHAPTER IV. 



GEOWTH BY THE STEM. 



Origin of the Stem. — The Growing Point. — Production of Wood, Bark, Pith, 

 Medullary Eays. — Properties of Sap-wood, Heart-wood, Liber, Rind, &c. 

 Nature and Office of Leaf-buds. — Embryo-buds. — Bulbs. — Conveyance 

 of Sap, and its Nature 33 



