350 
REJOINDER TO MR. HEARNS. 
by one of the parties who had controverted the merits, and indeed the 
general feasibility, of “ the coiling system,” Were it “ germane” to 
the purpose, we could, in two words, prove to Mr. Hearns’ satisfaction, 
that he does not possess a more hearty friend among horticulturists than 
we are, nor one who would more willingly arm himself in defence of 
his cause and practice; but as no apparent good might result from open 
disclosure, we prefer to retain the assumed disguise, and to appear 
again under Grecian colours;—the deceit, if such it be, includes no 
treachery. 
To do ample justice to our views and motives, we must dissect Mr. 
Hearns’ article, and examine separately every one of its positions. 
The physiological science of 4> lXoo-ocJjoq is first assailed because he 
advanced the conjecture, that buds are “ the origin of roots.” Mr. 
Hearns has met it with a flat negation ; he sturdily asserts that “ buds 
will not turn to roots.” We here perceive two opinions which are 
diametrically opposed to each other—who shall decide between them? 
We appealed to undeniable facts, and we again unequivocally assert 
and maintain the correctness of our report of the actual experiments 
recited at page 243. The only point of real moment is the following: 
-—We asserted, on the ground of our observations, (and also by the 
analogy of facts traceable in the rooting growth and perfect develop¬ 
ments of gooseberry cuttings or layers placed in an inverted position, 
the points of the shoots and that of every bud being thrust downward 
into the soil,)—we, on these grounds, asserted that buds became roots, 
“for not one shoot had pushed upward ” from the parts under ground. 
Now it may be contended that we had arrived at an erroneous conclu¬ 
sion, unsustained by sufficient evidence ; but thus far we do and will 
maintain our opinion, that although some may believe the thing impos¬ 
sible that buds should become roots, we have had proof positive and 
undeniable that buds placed a very few inches under the surface, either 
push out in the form of roots, or are absorbed, and wholly disappear. 
We again assert that, in our recorded experiments, we found a vast 
development of main and secondary lateral roots at every point where 
the buds existed when the stems were layered, while in disbudded coils 
a few feeble fibres only were protruded at the very lowest extremity of 
the stem, and not one throughout its whole spiral course under the 
soil of a pot. 
Upon these grounds we have a right to assume that the buds, if they 
do not literally assume the form of roots, are the accessories of their 
production ; they are systems of life, and contain the embryos of leaves, 
blossoms, and fruit: without them and their vital energy, roots cannot 
be conceived to make any progress; and what cutting could take root 
