58 
TRANSPLANTING. [chap. iii. 
cut off, the roots, though confined to a small 
space, become abundant. The reverse of 
this is the case, when plants are left in a na¬ 
tural state. It has been found, from expe¬ 
rience, that plants imbibe more food than 
they absolutely require as nourishment from 
the soil, and that they eject part of it; also 
that their roots will not reimbibe this excre- 
mentitious matter, but are continually in 
search of fresh soil. To provide for this the 
fibrous roots are possessed of an extraordi¬ 
nary power of elongating themselves at their 
extremities; and thus the roots of even a 
small plant, left to nature, will be found to 
extend to a great distance on every side. It 
is obvious that this elongation of the roots 
must greatly increase the difficulties attend¬ 
ing transplanting. Where the roots extend 
to a distance from the tree, a greater extent 
of ground has to be disturbed, both to take 
up the plant, and to make a pit for replant¬ 
ing it; the risk of injuring the fibrous roots 
is increased; and, as nearly all the spon- 
gioles will require to be cut off, from the 
great length of the roots, and consequent 
greater difficulty which will attend taking 
