LETTER VTll. 



77 



and this, probably, still growing in Africa.* Now, 

 were Mr Knight's views correct, or were the prevail- 

 ing theory as to the nature of trees a sound one, these 

 Willows, though themselves to all appearance trees, 

 would in reality be nothing more than the developed 

 state" of the original and proper tree. There could 

 not with propriety be said to exist in Europe a genuine 

 Willow-tree of this kind. It might be feared, at least, 

 if not confidently anticipated, that over every part of 

 Europe they would all die about the same time, and 

 simultaneously with the death of their African pro- 

 genitor ! f 



15. Such is my argument. It goes to place the bud 

 on a level with the seed, and the growth that comes 

 from the bud on a footing with the seedUng plant. It 

 goes also to invest the annual cylinder of woody tissue, 

 formed in connection with the several growths of the 

 year, with the character of roots. To my own mind, 

 the proofs now advanced in support of the former of 

 these positions are clear, unequivocal, and decisive. 

 The evidence in favour of the latter, in as far as not 

 included, directly or by implication, in the former, or 

 not already adduced in Letter V., I reserve for the 

 present. There are those, however, who would regard 

 them as insufficient. Dr Carpenter, for instance, would 

 take exception to the main assumption. He would 



* The Principles of Descriptive and Physiological Botany, 242. 

 f Henslow, Ihid, p 242, 



