24 
THE FOOD OF TREES IS IMBIBED [Part II. 
Twin oaks. 
That a radish 
is fed only by 
its end a fallacy. 
ciently woody to absorb, and to feed itself and 
the plant, independently of the seed. 
The two bands which unite the seedling to the 
seed pass one to each division (cotyledon) of the 
seed. I have known four divisions or cotyledons 
in an acorn. In this case twin plants arose. 
I know not how to question the roots of mature 
trees in reference to the absorption of their food 
by the ends; though I think that the free 
growth of trees transplanted with the ball of 
earth answers it in the negative. So does the 
growth of potted greenhouse plants, all the ends 
of whose roots are cut off. But certainly the 
answers elicited from the roots of seedlings are 
most clear and most decisive, and directly in con¬ 
tradiction to the only fact I have ever heard 
stated in favour of the absorption by the ends of 
roots. And this fact, I have no hesitation in 
asserting, is not a fact. I give, in Richard’s 
words, what I believe Senebier first asserted: — 
“ Roots also extract from the earth the sub¬ 
stances which are intended to serve for the 
growth of the plant. But all parts of the root 
do not perform this office, it being only by the 
extremity of their smallest fibres that this ab¬ 
sorption takes place. Some say that they are 
terminated by little ampullse, or spongy bodies, 
