1870.] 259 [Trouvelot. 



to terrestrial magnetism, I shall not inquire at present; not having 

 sufficient data to establish any theory. It would be of value, I venture 

 to say, if observers would direct attention to this subject, and see if 

 the direction is the same all over the globe, or if it is a local phenom- 

 enon, and also ascertain what species of trees obey this unknown 

 force. 



It is not only in a theoretical point of view that this observation 

 has some value; there is in it a practical lesson for the cultivators of 

 shade and fruit trees. Soon after my observations, it struck me 

 that something practical could be derived from this truth. All 

 country people know by experience — sometimes dearly bought — that 

 the transplantation of trees does not always succeed, and especially 

 when the transplanted trees have arrived at a certain age. Fruit 

 growers tell us that the cherry tree is one of those least, likely to 

 live when transplanted, while the apple tree will almost invariably 

 succeed. My observations on many thousand cherry trees have 

 shown me that this tree is very sensitive to the unknown force, while 

 the apple tree is a great deal less so, and it is very seldom that an 

 indication of bending will be seen. Has not this anything to do 

 with success in transplanting? If, without regard to the direction of 

 the branches of a cherry tree, we set this tree in a position contrary 

 to the one it occupied before, its branches now bending towards the 

 west, then it is plain that the force which gave it the bend is acting 

 in an opposite direction ; in consequence of which the tree is suffering. 

 But with the apple tree it is different, as this is far less sensitive ; 

 therefore it will not suffer so much. Ten years ago I bought a fine 

 cherry tree and transplanted it to my garden, of course without re- 

 gard to direction; the tree is now living; it has not grown a particle; 

 there has not been one inch of new wood added to the length of its 

 twigs since it was put there ; the branches have no bend. Five years 

 ago another cherry tree from the same place was also transplanted in 

 my garden ; the tree is now treble the size of the other, its branches 

 are strongly bent east. Why this difference? Was the one set in 

 a suitable position, and the other not? I could not tell. But here is 

 something more positive : three years ago I saw in Maiden twenty 

 beautiful pear trees transplanted with the greatest care; all these 

 trees were of pretty good size, being some years old, and they all 

 bent very strongly. They were set without regard to direction ; five 

 or six of these trees happened to be placed in about the position 

 which they must have had when growing ; the remainder were set in 



