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LETTERS ON TREES. 



that it retains the power of giving origin to buds 

 from any part of it that may be stimulated to increased 

 development;" and again, that under extraordinary 

 circumstances, portions of this at a great distance from 

 the last-formed buds, may develope a new set of 

 foliaceous organs." Now, if by these expressions 

 Dr Carpenter means to assert that, under the cir- 

 cumstances mentioned by him, buds and leaves may 

 be developed at a great distance from any part of the 

 new Cambium-layer, contiyiuous with the last-formed 

 buds, and of the same year's formation with them — 

 in short, from the old cellular tissue of bygone years, 

 I demur to the accuracy of the statement. And we 

 shall presently see that the Elm," which he instances, 

 gives no countenance to it. Again, he says of this 

 general cellular basis, that " it retains its vitality 

 in every stem through the whole period of its exist- 

 ence'' There is a mischievous ambiguity here, cal- 

 culated to mislead and perplex you. The statement 

 is true in a certain sense, but not in a sense that 

 affects the argument pursued in my ninth letter, or in 

 the slightest degree touches the theory. The con- 

 tinned vitality of the whole cellular tissue of every 

 stem, is none other than the continued vitality of the 

 hair of your head or the nails of your fingers and 

 toes; and which, except at the points in immediate 

 and very temporary contact with the skin where they 

 are actually growing, and " of which they are offsets, 



