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instance, it has been su aest d that ihe partial 

 shade aiForded by the tree benefited the grape vine ; 

 but it is as perfect when growing over ,ow bushes, 

 on hot banks, exposed to hot and dry temperatur s, 

 as when luxuriating among the shady branches of 

 t .e t llest trees. Again, it has bee > suggested 

 that as the vine is supposed to like a dry soil the 

 roots of the tree tended to ab sorb superfluous mois- 

 t re, md thus furnished the best con it ons for the 

 vine roots ; but healthy vines are found on trees in 

 impassable swamps ; besides, the cases of branches 

 from trellises before alluded to answer this suppos - 

 tion. So -.e have thought that as the foreign vine, 

 growing under glass, thrives there so well p inci- 

 paily on account of humid atmosphere, the eva o- 

 ration fivm the trees' foliage might benefit the vine 

 growing over it ; but it n as been further observed 

 that they grow as well over d.ad trees as overliving 

 ones ; and so on, in like manner, every theory has 

 been refuted, and the true reason unexplained. 



I think Mr. Darwin's discovery cf tendril motion 

 will afford the key to this phenomenon, : nd enable 

 us to form a new theory as to the origin and employ- 

 ment of force in veget bl : growth. 



Mr. Darwin has shown th\t the tendrils cf pla ts 

 are in continuous motion f^r a long time unti> they 

 find somet ing to cling to, when motion at once 

 cea'^es. Motion is an attribute of vit 1 orce ; and 

 vital force, whatever be its origin, must be sustained 

 by nutrition.. 



There are two f. rms of motion. The cne vve call 

 growth, which isth: motion of the cell individual y , 

 the other, in anirpals, wc call muscular motion, is 

 the movement of the cells collectively. This tendril 

 motion, unamed because until lately unknown, is 

 analogous to animal mu cular motion, in its bein. a 

 collective movement o the parts. 



In animals we know that nutri ion will rnly sup- 

 ply a given amount of force, and that if mu cular 

 motion rec ives an undue proportion of this force, 

 growth (cell motion) suffers. In common language, 

 the over-run horse gains no flesh. On the other 

 hand, the disuse of muscular power t ttonsthe ani- 

 mal. If the same di ision of motion exists in plants, 

 and Mr. Darwin's paper shows it does, it necessa- 

 rily follows that if one form gets more than its due 

 share, the healthful balance is destroyed — in other 

 words, the force necessary for excessive tendril mo- 

 ti n in the g-ape v ne exhausts the nutritive pow-.rs 

 of the plant to supply ; growth s .ffers, and disease 

 ensues. 



To apply this principle to the case of unsuccessful 

 grape culture, we find in no system, of grtpe man- 

 agement is any provision made f r arresting tendril 



motion, — but on the tree thousan is of little twigs 

 invite the tendrils at e ery turn. No motion is ex- 

 pended except for what we mig t almost term 

 healthful exercise, — the bal nee is used in growth. 



Observation on many species of climbing vines 

 under similar circumstances confirms these views. 

 The growth and general liealthfulness of every kind 

 of vine, is in exact proportion to the climbing facil- 

 ities aff rded it. The garden pea will furni h a 

 ready means of testing this proposition. It will be 

 fo nd that difference in vigor, general healthfulnes , 

 and longevity, is strikingly in favor of those grown 

 on twiggy branches. Peas unstaked grow weakly, 

 bear early and sparing, and die young. Honeysuc- 

 kles ramble to great heights and have large luxuri- 

 ant foliage on fine wire trellises, but when dangli ig 

 to one straight stic . they grow very little indeed. 

 The most striking instance that came under my ob- 

 S-rvation was in some WLskiria sinensis which had 

 been trained to form self-supporting dwarf trees. 

 The branches would only grow two or three feet in 

 a season, but a few of the shoots in time bending 

 over and reaching the ground, where they found a 

 natural support, would grow thirty feet during a 

 single season. The observations in this way were 

 so uniform, and the materials being every whe e, 

 any one can verify this without it being necessary 

 for me to part cularize further instances. 



Every effort of nature is but an endeavor to accom- 

 plieh an object. The hi tory of a plant'o life is 

 struggle wi'h gravitation. The purpose of that 

 struggle is with the Author of ts existence, but its 

 immediate object is to elevate itself from the earth. 

 The force required lor this is very great. In its 

 youirg dayc, h wever, it goes on with vigor, — taking 

 no thought, as it were, of to-morrow, — but, as it 

 grows of older, it becomes bowed down by the 

 weight of its own accumulations ; gravity tells on 

 its wide-spreading branches, reminding it of its 

 growing weakness. It then prepares itself for its 

 final dissolution by producing fruit, which, fully ac- 

 complished, the struggle with gravitation ceases, 

 and dust to dust returns. 



The whole of thi s enormous motive force must, 

 as we have seen,' be derived from nutrition, — and 

 the proper proportion due to each form of motion 

 must be provided and paid to it, or deranged action 

 be the inevitable consequence. — Thomas Meehan, 

 in Proceedings /the Academy of Natural Scioices, 

 of Pldladelpliia. 



Heating Power of Evergreens, — The cold 

 weather that we have been having, makes us close 

 observers of every means which we may bring to 



