’December i, 1S90.] 
THP- TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
431 
BOOK NOTICE. 
Sap : Doe.s it Eise fpoji the Eoot.s ? 
By J. A. Keeves. (Loiuloii: George Kenning.) 
The purpo.se of tbe author, he tells us, in the begin- 
ning of his book, is to describe certain known fact.», to 
lay before the reader an outline of the theories hi- 
therto advocated, and to show that there is no evidence 
to prove “that the sap in trees risei at any time; 
that inorganic matter rises from the soil ; tliat the 
soil is exhahsted by the f,rowth of vegetation ; that 
sap is elaborated in the leaves; that seekers fioin the 
roo‘s are injurious.” The phy.siologist and the culti- 
vator will at once see that the author has a hard 
task before him. It is quite true that contradictory 
opuiious and conflicting statements have been and are 
held upon several of the points raised by the author, 
that very little is known for certaiu, and that very 
much remains to be done before all the questions 
relating to the movements of the juices in plants can 
be solved. It will be understood that the problem is 
partly physical, partly physiological — physical in so far 
as concerns the mechanism of the iilaiit, and the fore s 
which set the machinery in motion; physiological in 
what concerns the plant in nc’ion. Some knowledge 
therefore, of physics, of chemistry, of vegetable anatomy 
are e.ssential, and the capacity of applying the prin- 
ciples derived from them to the explanation of the 
observed phenomena is no less a necessary condition. 
The author of the work before us attacks, with perfect 
impartial ty, the views of his predecessors ; so far as 
he knowT them ; he demolishes their arguments to 
his own satisfaction, and concludes by the assertiLU 
that, ‘Gus'ead of water asceucliug and gases dpceudiiig, 
the facts ... go to prove tliat the water descends to tlie 
roots, and tlie gases ascend to the leavrs, both actions 
being in strict conformity with the laws of gravit- 
ation. 
Oppressed, as every physiologist and teacher must 
be with the unsatisfactory state of our knowledge on 
the subject, we should gladly hail our author as a 
guide, if he were able to .show s.tisfactn’y crelentials, 
and then to .substantiate his statements. If we turn 
to his credentials, wetiid they are two-fold, consis ing 
of “ extracts from the best authoriiies and amongst 
these, while we find a few whose names carry weight, 
we find some wheat best would only pretend to b) 
compilers ; and many others of a very miscellaneous 
character, whose opinions in such a matter, however 
honest, are of no value whatever as evidence. The 
author’s references ti the literature of the subject 
are ludicrous, as much for what ho has omitted, as 
for what he has reipusitioned. 
In addition to these extracts from “the b st autho- 
rities” and others, from writers who would certainly 
not clahn any authority for themselves, the author 
lays before the reader a bii-f record of his own 
observations and experiment.'. We fear tbe physi- 
ologist will hesitate as much to accept them in tin ir 
entirety, ns he would to accept the author’s literary 
evidence. In this department we naturally look for 
evidence of the author's per.sonal knowledge and com- 
petence to deal with his subj ct. Wo fiud a great 
ileal of assertion, much alvei so critici.sin, some of 
which is, no doubt, legitimate; but some of wliich 
will fail in its effect from the inabi ity of the author 
to prove that he is competent to deal with his subject. 
Take for instiiiice, a p.s age on p. 43, and coiisi'.er 
whether the phyeiologists would be likely to attach 
importance to the theories of a writer who cars tay, 
“ The roots I formed from a I’olsrgonium cutting] being 
a hardened or solidified exudation of the sip L'J.of 
course, grow from betwoen tho rind and the wood. ” 
It is no wonder tliat a writer who can thus describe 
a rcot, shiiidd airivo at a very ditferent conclusion as 
to root-aciiou from other people. Th s (picstion of 
rc.ot-nction is the one in winch cultivators will natunilly 
take tho most interest, and the leader perilling the 
pages of Mr. Koeves’ vnluine, will naturally imiuire — 
Wtiat is the use of the roots 'f So far as wo can see 
fronr Mr. Keeves’ pages, they can be of no use except 
ns supports. If whit ho tells us bo true, there is 
DO need for root-watering at all. Manures are super- 
flious ; root-pruning never needed ; tho care exercised 
iu transplanting or in potBug is so much waste labour. 
Leaf-uotioi), again, in tho writer’s views is reduced 
to little more than the absorption of water. Ignoring 
the teachings of phy.siologists, and the experimauts 
of botanists, the author says boldly, “ The elabora.- 
tive fuQclion so constintly attributed to the leaves 
of trees appears to be nothing more than elaborated 
idea (sic) unsupported by the least evidence,” Clearly 
tho author has not read his Bachs, nor his Vines, 
nor has he observed to any purpose what happens 
when Celery is b'auched. 
Bpeakiijg of '•suoker.s,” the author’s notion of what 
they re by are seem.s ra'her vague, while his ttatemeut 
that a healthy tree has no suckers, may be eontra- 
dicteJ by tlie first white Poplar or Elm he may come 
across. 
In flue, whatever the detioieueics in our knowledge 
of the circulation of juices iu plants, and they are 
great, we do not think that Mr. Keeves’ book at all 
helps us to supply them. His teaching will not 
commend themselves to the practical horticuUurist, 
while they will most certainly be repudiated by the 
botanists. — Gardeners’ Chronicle. 
SCOTTISH TRUST AND LOAN COMPANV OE 
CEYLON. 
Iteport of tbe Directors to be laid before the Thir- 
teenth Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholder’, 
held on Friday, the 24th day of October 1890. 
The Direclors present their Thirteenth Keport, being 
for^ycar to 31st of August 1890 : — 
Estatks in Company’s Possession. — The cultivation 
of the estates iu the Oompaoy’s possessions continues 
to receive careful attention, and the sales of tea and 
coffee during the year have commanded satisfactory 
prices ill the London mirkot. Tne sales of cinchoea 
were restricted owing tn the state ot the market, and 
part ot the Company’s produce has b en retained in 
tlie hope of better prices The whole cost of tea 
cultivation has, as formerly, been charged to revenue. 
Acting on the advice of the Company’s Ceylon agents, 
the Directors authoiized tbe erecliin of a tea 
Factory at Kaipoogals, from which remunerative re- 
turns are anticipated. The outlay on Tea Factories 
and machinery amounted during the year to £65-o lOs, 
and the Directors have written off the sum of £745, 4s 
fid, being one-fiftb of the total expenditure on this ac- 
count during the past two years. 
l*HODucE ON Hand. — The valuatioDS have, as for- 
merly, been carefully made by the London Agent, 
and are largely based on the result of actual sales 
made subsequent to the date of the closing of the 
books. 
Mortgages HELD in Ceylon jsvthe Company.— Sun- 
dry payments have been received during the year in 
reduction of mortgages, and interest has been punc- 
tually paid, with the exception of the amount shown 
iu the accounts, which, however, has been re- 
duced since the books closed. Eirly in the year 
the Directors found themselves compelled tn take 
active measures in connection with Iwj Rupee Bonds 
btaudiiig in the Oompany’.s books at the old rate of 
exchange, at the cum ulo swax of £11,000. The esta'es 
were kuown to be much deteriorated tu coiisoquence 
of the fai.uro ot tho coffee, and lea cultivation had 
bar.jly beoii ommeucei. The Directors were ino.tt 
averse to take over these estatts, nud judged it iu 
the best interests of the Comp.iny to accept an offer 
of £8,000 payable by ii stalmeuts iu sterling money, 
which was made to them by a uoiglibiuiing proprietor. 
Tho loss of £3,000 arises in iiboiu. i qual proportions 
from the fall ii Exchiuige, and the depreciation of 
the cs'ates, and the amount falls to be written off. 
Tbe Ooinpany now retaics only one Rupee Loan, of 
about £1,000. 
Deuuntuiie Debt. — Tho amouut borrowed and the 
rates of intereat have again been reduced. 
The Balance at the Credit of I’rofit and 
Loss Accoiiuts is £5,925 9 0 
and the Directors propose — 
