March 24, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
469 
ROOT ACTION IN 
WINTER. 
It is evident that Mr. Princep's rejoinder to Mr. 
Lees leaves very little more to be said in this matter. 
It is a case in which only the keenest and most 
intelligent observation can succeed at arriving at 
right conclusions, and this seems to have been so 
far in favour of the elder controversialist. But it 
may well be asked whether after all there is such a 
thing as absolute dormancy, or rest, or inaction in 
deciduous trees, or shrubs', or plants, at all during 
winter, except when, perhaps, hard frozen. That 
there is much of sap activity long after the leaf has 
fallen in the case of trees and shrubs is evident in 
the change of coloration in the wood that goes on 
when the cold strengthens. This may be seen for 
instance in the Lime, which will in its summer 
shoots after leaf fall put on a rich reddish tint, the 
cold evidently causing coloration to be evolved from 
or through the sap. 
But we may well ask whether life could be 
possible in vegetation with absolute rest or inactivity. 
Such existence would not be possible in the animate 
kingdom, for blood must flow and lungs must 
breathe even in the case of the hybernating chrysalis, 
as Mr. Princep shows is without doubt undergoing 
change the whole of the time it is in the chrysaloid 
form. "We have too readily accepted ideas or 
theories because they have seemed self evident, and 
yet have rarely made inquiry as to actual or proved 
facts. Because a tree becomes leafless it does not at 
all follow that sap is inactive or cellular tissue may 
not be in the process of formation or of maturation. 
The fact is, in spite of what our scientists have 
hitherto discovered, this discussion trenches upon a 
field that has not been too largely explored, and we 
have little knowledge yet of how much of fact in 
relation to plant or tree life lies hidden. If man 
exists for yet other thousands of years he will 
probably not have learned all that is to be acquired as 
to the unseen forces or operations of nature, indeed, 
it would be difficult for the student to exist at a 
time when there were no more fields of natural 
science to explore or conquer.— A. D. 
I DO not for a moment assume that I am " perfectly 
conversant " with the structural formation of plants, 
but Mr. Princep asks us to accept some very 
original theories respecting the action of roots and 
sap, respecting which he gives no adequate proof, 
and which he must allow we cannot take for granted 
unless they are fairly well substantiated. Far from 
being "over confident’’ on such matters myself, I 
am at one with Mr. Princep in being anxious to learn 
and trying to prove any new ideas that may be set 
forth. Mr. Princep seriously misquotes me or I 
need not have replied ; he says, " I would have him 
believe that "Vines almost complete their growth 
before they require any support from the roots." 
What I said was, " Then when the old roots cannot 
any longer keep up a sufficient supply, etc.,’’ nor do 
I admit that at the period named "Vines have by any 
means completed their growth as your correspondent 
infers. Root action does not necessarily imply root 
extension. I also said " when the autumn work 
of the root is done," thus agreeing that roots 
are active in autumn, but that roots should 
become " matted together ’’ by new growth, 
whilst under the conditions described on p. 453, 
certainly lends force to Mr. Prinsep’s somewhat 
ironical remark, that " Truly the Vine is a wonder¬ 
ful plant."—IF. H. Lees. 
BRO W NEA***COCC IN E A. 
This species has smaller leaves than the other 
species generally seen in gardens, and in a state of 
nature does not attain the dimensions nor height of 
B. grandiceps. It forms a much branched bush or 
small tree 6 ft. to 10 ft. high, and is highly orna¬ 
mental when laden with its small clusters of scarlet 
flowers. The latter are distributed all through the 
head of the tree, and not exposed at the tips of the 
branches as in a Horse Chestnut or Robinia. A 
large specimen, about 10 ft. or 12 ft. high, has been 
flowering freely for some time past in the Palm 
house at Kew. The small fascicles of bloom lack 
the bold effect of the huge clusters developed by B. 
grandiceps, ,B. macrophylla, B. Crawfordi, and 
other garden hybrids, but they make up for it in 
their greater numbers, and the succession main¬ 
tained over a longer period of time. Those who 
have a warm conservatory with a high roof to fill 
this Brownea would prove very suitable for the 
purpose. It was introduced from Venezuela just 
over 100 years ago, and is of the easiest culture. 
Stove temperature, a compost of loam, peat and 
sand, and a large pot or tub, will meet its require¬ 
ments. When making its growth, and during the 
warmer parts of summer, it will require plenty of 
water, but during winter this must be more 
sparingly applied. 
-- 
A LARGE COELOGYNE. 
The accompanying illustration was prepared from a 
photograph kindly sent to us by Mr. Harry Bailey, 
gardener to W. L. Barclay, Esq., The Briars, 
Reigate. It represents a magnificent piece of 
Coelogyne cristata Lemoniana in Mr. Barclay’s 
collection, and which nine and a half years ago was 
only a small piece in a 7-in. pot. Needless to say it 
has thriven and increased in size ever since, till now 
it measures 4 ft. 2 in. across, and carries ninety 
racemes of bloom, with an average of six flowers 
each, making a total of 540 flowers. Notwithstand¬ 
ing that fact, Mr. Bailey does not think that the 
variety under notice flowers so freely as the type, 
but he considers it much more useful in the cut 
state because the flowers last longer. The cultiva¬ 
tion of C. cristata does not present great difficulty to 
those who fully master the details, but the plant 
which we illustrate is an example of what steady 
perseverance can do in the course of a few years, 
even from a small beginning. Further commenda¬ 
tion is unnecessary, as the illustration testifies to the 
success of the cultivator. 
