Chap. I.] BY THE SURFACE OF THE ROOTS. 
43 
almost sure to die) in, after all, the impossible 
attempt to get at the terminating ideal spongioles 
or capillary stomata , which are names as hand¬ 
some as mingled Greek and Latin can make 
them, but “ vox et praaterea nihil.” 
As long as the root is unripe,—in other words, 
unwoody,—it is wholly useless; that is, it has 
no upward conduit for the sap. The small fibres 
of the root bear the same relation to a tree as 
children to a commonwealth. So far from being 
a present source of strength, they are an actual 
expense and outgoing; though, by their growth 
and maturity,—that is, when the unripe fibres 
become woody roots, and the children become 
men, — they are the very springs of vital energy. 
Ends of roots 
to a tree what 
children are to 
a common¬ 
wealth. 
