TWENTY-EIGHTH FRUIT-GROWEES' CONVENTION. 



175 



The oxygen of the air, though not requiring light for its admission to 

 the laboratory of the leaf, is as essential as the carbon dioxid. We 

 know how poorly a fire burns when the pieces of fuel, be they wood or 

 coal, lie close, excluding free circulation of oxygen. When it is under- 

 stood that the air food of the plant, the carbon dioxid, can not be 

 obtained except by free admission of the light, and that the oxygen of 

 the air is not available unless free circulation is provided, the work the 

 primer has to do is made clear, if he would have the leaf organs most 

 efficient. The laws of nature,- operative in the atmosphere, plainly 

 point his way and become his guiding principles. 



If the laws of nature are so potent, why disturb our trees at all? 

 Like their forest companions, why may they not care for themselves? 

 As the interior branches die, new ones spring from the exterior, and thrift 

 goes on. If a thicket springs up, the strongest survive, excluding light 

 and air, and so bring death to the weaker. If the leaf is the organ 

 which absorbs from the air the gases needful for respiration and plant 

 nutrition, if to it is carried through the channels of the new wood from 

 the rootlets the gathered soil salts, all food material from earthy and 

 aerial environments, there to be assimilated and elaborated into plant 

 food and fruit, why cut away a single one? 



The philosophy implied in this comports with the ease and comfort 

 of the grower, and consoles him for leaving undone what may seem 

 needless work. It is good enough philosophy while the tree is young, 

 perhaps — save for the sucker growth — because no foliage is so far from 

 the surface as not to have sufficient exposure; but as the arms of the 

 tree lengthen and reach abroad, there are struggling limbs and leaves 

 in the rear, and the host of leaves is made up of the weak and strong, 

 the dead and dying among them all. What would be the strength of 

 an army thus incumbered? 



Theory, and experience as well, show that when relief is given by the 

 hand of man, the response rewards the effort. Take away the dead and 

 finish the dying with the knife, not permitting them to be the victims 

 of nature, then the living become more lively. 



The dead branches in the center and the dead twigs clear to the out- 

 side among the overlapping branches have not died because, having 

 fulfilled their functions, they are of no further use; many are found 

 which have had no opportunity to become useful. If, as coroners, we 

 should hold an autopsy on their remains, we would bring in a verdict, 

 "Died for want of breath." 



Nature's way of smothering is all right for her ends, perpetuation of 

 the species, but we have other ends in view. Nature does her part in 

 plant growth and will brook no unwarranted interference, but when 

 there is added requirement for our purpose, we must share the work and 

 expense with her and not depend on natural selection to do what, as 

 part of nature ourselves, we are competent to decide on and perform. 



