68 
Supplement to the “ Tropical Agriculturist.^' 
FEUIT CULTURE. 
( Continued?) 
The Construction and Function op the Root. 
The fruit tree is fixed to the ground by meins 
of the main root and its several branches. The 
root has a central cylinder of wood-tissue in 
which are large vessels, and round theiT woody 
cylinder is a layer of softer tissue which sheathes 
it completely and is distinguished at the cortex. 
In seedlings the outer of the root is extremely 
delicate, almost transparent, and absorptive of 
moisture. In a mature tree, however, the enlarg- 
ed roots have entirely lost the power of vitally 
absorbing water from the soil : they collect 
nothing themselves, but in addition to fixing the 
tree firmly to the ground, conduct through their 
woody cylinder the fluid which has been conveyed 
from the soil for the use of the stem and leaves. 
The fluid material from the soil is then absorbed 
only by a portion behind the extreme end of each 
Jootlet. This absorptive region is covered with 
fine root-hiars forming often a close pile like 
velvet, and thus enormously increasing the sur- 
face through which water can be taken in. Before 
these root-hairs become hard and discoloured they 
drop off, and the portion of the rootlet on which 
they grew is comparatively useless for purposes 
of absorption. Meanwhile, the tip of the root 
has pushed further into the soil ; fresh root-“hairs 
have developed on the newly-grown portion, and 
they in their turn fulfil the function required of 
them. The actual growing point absorbs but 
little ; it is covered with a protective cup of tissue 
which is constantly wearing away and as con- 
stantly being lenewed, so serving to protect the 
growing points from actual contact with the 
particles of the soil through which it has to 
force its way. Trees, therefore, which are trans- 
planted without no ball of original earth round 
their base and with but few root-branches pro- 
jecting below cannot immediately take anything 
from the soil when planted in a new spot. The 
first effort of life after replanting is to throw out 
new root-fibres, each with its protective qap to 
explore and forage in the fresh soil. As they 
elongate absorptive hairs cover the space of a few 
inches behind the cap and begin their functions, 
passing on the fluid taken up by them into the 
tissues of the root. As the lengthening proceeds, 
the hindermost hairs die off in a few days just in 
proportion as new ones arise behind the apex. 
Thus, it will be seen that the part of the root 
which absorbs is perpetually moving forward and 
coming in^ contact with unexhausted particles of 
soil instead of lying inactive among material 
which it has worked out. The root-hairs cling 
tenaciously to the particles they touch, and as it 
were mould themselves on them. Their moist 
surface is capable of disclosing traces of the 
mineral constituents contained therein, and the 
solution passes inward to the carrying system of 
the root. After having developed a certain 
number of rootlets and begun the process of ab- 
sorption, the plant which may be said in the 
meantime to have been lying dormant begins to 
show signs of renewed vital activity once more. 
Extreme care in lifting plants and preserving as 
much as possible its small fibres of the roots will 
repay the trouble taken. By doing this we give it 
[July 1, 1897. 
less repairs to make good. In transplanting it is 
advisable to use a six-pronged fork, and to avoid 
as much as possible any cutting action that 
would be caused by such an implement as a spade 
or “ mamotie.’’ 
With a knowleiige of the above facts relative to 
the structure of the mot ^ystem of pi mts aud the 
method of absorption of pi vat f.-od from the soil, 
the coarse method of clioppiug young trees out with 
a mamotie, so that they only have a few ragged 
stumps left in lieu of roots will, of course, never 
be tolerated. Such trees, when set in the ground, 
will have to begin life by “ callu.?ing ”* the many 
wounds in the would tissue of their stumps, and 
then sending rootlets from this callus-layer,yi 4 s^ 
as if they loere cuttings set so strike. Indeed, they 
have not even the chance that ordinary cuttings 
get, for the stem and its numerous buds make im- 
mense demands upon the infant rootlets, far more 
than they can satisfy. And thus the miserable 
thing languishes, makes the poorest growth above, 
and gets thrown back a season or perhaps more, 
merely for want of reasonable care in trans- 
planting. 
In a tree planted in well-tilled, well-drained, 
well-opened soil, the advance of the root-tips 
continues till the limit of the tree’s requirements 
is reached. In general, one may say that the 
expanse of the foliage of a fruit tree gives a 
tolerably accurate measure of the root-system 
under ground, but obviously the feeding ground 
of the rcots is not close to the trunk, but in a circle 
whose radius is never less than half the height of 
the tree when matured. Those who have a know- 
ledge of the steady advance in the roots described 
above will not therefore tolerate for a moment the 
custom of applying irrigation water or manure in 
a hollow dug round the base of the trunk, nor will 
they be consenting parties to the planting of trees 
in the holes cut in an impervious clay of soil 
which has never been trenched. The normal 
advance of the root .system, under the latter 
circumstances, will be stopped by the impenetrable 
walls of the pit, and so the tree becomes unhealthy 
and short-lived in spite of doses of manure and 
irrigation. 
(To be continued.^ 
NOTES ON THE NORTH-CENTRAL 
PROVIxVCE. 
This is a Province of tanks and ruins. In 
ancient times it was one of the most populous 
and productive parts of Ceylon ; but now it is 
very unlike its former self. Although the largest 
Province in the Island, it is now the poorest in 
population and produce. It strikes a stranger 
at once that there is a large extent of waste 
land here ; and he feels that this Province is 
capable of much agricultural development. The 
Government, well aware of this fact, have restored 
the ancient tanks and canals and are trying to 
encourage the people in the growing of paddy and 
other products. The water of most of the tanks 
contains a good deal of manurial matter in solu- 
tion, and this combined with the natural rich- 
* “ Callusing” is the natural healing up of a wound 
such as is caused by cutting a part of a tree, and this 
is done by the tree by forming a spongy cushion of 
protective tissue known to gardeners as a “callus.” 
