100 



ilw{ iartoer's Jftonlhlj. 



herent life. It is born into a new state and its condi- 

 tions are changed, the radicle spreads out in various 

 directions to seek nourishment, but it has no power 

 to build up or solidify its own frame without the 

 rays of the sun. 



The plumule extends itself and forms the trunk 

 with its numerous branches and leaves, but it is 

 only built up by virtue of the sun's rays, and the 

 rays of the sun have no power of building up the 

 tree without azote furnished from the soil, and the 

 azote cannot be supplied to the tissues without the 

 buds. Hence within the germ lie the vital force 

 when acted upon by the sun's rays calls into activity 

 the functions of the plant. If these are destroyed 

 the plant immediately ceases to grow, but may 

 however retain vitahty long enough to form now 

 buds, but if not it will soon languish and die. 



Azote forms the rudiments of the plant, which 

 cannot be developed without, it and stimulates the 

 leaves to decomposed carbonic-acid, and gives that 

 healthy green color and vigorous growth to vegeta- 

 tion. 



The sun furnishes heat and light, and the atmos- 

 phere carbonic-acid, and the dark green part of the 

 vegetable decompose it, extracts the carbon which 

 unites with the watersupplied by the roots, thus form- 

 ing " numerous and dilferent compounds, — wood, 

 starch, sugar, oil, wax, balsams,essences,both fragrant 

 and offensive, delicious fruits and violent poisons, 

 whose infinite variety transcends the dreams of 

 imagination." — Thus it appears we have a succes- 

 sion of causes within the plant, which are necessary 

 to the growth of the tree, the germs or hitds being 

 primary, and we have also a chain of conditions 

 independent of the plant, the svn being primary. 



The terminal buds are absolutely necessary for 

 its rapid giowth, as they are the prime conductors 

 of electricity. The same is true with the roots : 

 they spread out in the direction of the greatest 

 moisture to conduct the current off rapidly, at the 

 same time return the fluids containing the elements 

 from the soil which are deposited in the different 

 parts of the plant by chemical affinity. The bark, 

 buds and leaves decompose the gases which are con- 

 densed, diffused and solidified in proportion to the 

 amount of heat the plant absorbs. By this means 

 the organism is built up by cells elongated in the 

 direction of the extremities by electrical force. If 

 it were not for this power they might expand in 

 width instead of length. When this force ceases 

 to accelerate their growth, they then commence to 

 swell their buds instead of lengthening them, which 

 produces fruit-spurs and fruit. This takes place 

 for their permanent good only at their natural 



maturity. If these buds are destroyed by cutting 

 them off or pinching-in, the next buds to the in- 

 jured ones push forward to perform their office, 

 while they are doing so the growth of the plant is 

 checked until new buds take their place or those 

 left are called upon to perform extra duty. This 

 check of growth is a loss of time which can never be 

 recovered. 



Now as the leaves, buds and bark absorb from 

 the atmosphere more than one-half the bulk of 

 the plant, they not only hold an important relation 

 to its health, vitality and constitution; but they also 

 govern its growth, form, and deposites, upon these 

 depend its distinctness and identity, which is de- 

 monstrated by budding and grafting. By virtue of 

 their substance and color the plant becomes not 

 only well organized, but healthy and productive. 



Whatever may be the exciting causes of mildew, 

 leaf blight, sun scald, &c., it is evident that it is 

 characteristic of the variety and not of the species. 

 As it is entirely cured or eradicated by giving it the 

 toliage of a variety thai is exempt, by budding or 

 grafting. Thus proving conclusively that the defect 

 is in the leaves, buds, and bark, and not in the roots 

 and atmosphere. It is true there are some appar- 

 ent local exceptions, for those defective varieties 

 succeed at those places tolerably well for a while, 

 but not as well as the healthy. 



Having briefly considered the leading functions 

 of vegatable life, and the relations they hold to 

 each other and external objects, we shall now con- 

 template the application of those pr.nciples in 

 practice. 



As every plant has a particular form of growth 

 endowed upon it by nature, and the foliage controls 

 the form and deposites, it should be preserved un- 

 molested that it can perform its duty. We must 

 admit that nature has endowed every plant with a 

 particular form which is necessary to its health, 

 longevity and productiveness ; or else nature is a 

 failure in impressing it with peculiarities, which are 

 inimicable to its existence. We cannot admit the 

 the conclusion for vegetable life has had a primary 

 existence, and fulfilled its functions independant of 

 man. 



Therefore the pruning of a tree is inexpedient, 

 because it has a restraining influence and changes 

 its natural form, and should not be practiced for 

 that object. Restricting the sphere of vegetable 

 action by whatever process has a deleterious ten- 

 dency, and hastens its destruction. 



Consequently the pruning should be only used as 

 a remedial agent, in overcoming injuries and re- 

 moving unnatural obstructions, and deformities, and 



