130 



MISCELLANEOUS, 



PT. n. 



every Cliristmas shows us. But all this proves what I 

 began with, that all parts of plants imbibe in propor- 

 tion as they are exposed to moisture, and exhaust in 

 proportion as they are exposed to draught. 

 Best time I do uot believe that the sap ever ceases to circu- 



fov felling 



timber. latc *, but the tide is perhaps at its lowest ebb in 

 January, and that is possibly the best month for felling 

 » timber. Timber which is felled at the high tide of 

 sap and growth is extremely Hable to fermentation and 

 decay. 



Eoots It is a dano'erous experiment to cover up the roots 



should not . . 



^^^covered of trccs. Tlicir chief duty appears to be to absorb 

 moistme in the soil : but atmospheric aeration is neces- 

 sary to them ; and under the eternal agency of phy^ 

 sical causes, acting probably on the peculiar structure 

 of their cellular organisation, the roots of each tree 

 grow at the level best adapted to them, and to the 

 offices which they have to perform. This should not 

 be interfered with. If dressing is laid on the roots, it 

 should not be deep, or of a nature impermeable to air. 



Trees which have had their roots deeply covered 

 up languish and die, iniless they throw out a new set 

 of roots above the old ones which have been smothered. 

 In this case, the whole tree may be considered as a 

 huge cutting which has {mirahile dictuj) struck. But, 

 generally, the new tier of roots is not strong enough to 

 supply the exhaustion of the old head ; and if death 

 does not result, the head dies in and rots the stem from 

 above, while the old roots do tlie same from below. 



