142 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
[Part II. 
and they become what is called u cattle-trod 
This is a frequent cause of the death of large 
trees, or of their decay. 
If there is this inherent natural tendency of 
roots to rise above the ground, it is easy to 
imagine the slaughter which the gardener’s 
spade must commit among the roots of old fruit- 
trees. Indeed these, and the roots of trees which 
are resorted to by cattle, may be said to live in a 
perpetual state of destruction. 
I think it, however, probable that this martyr¬ 
dom of the root may incline gross-growing trees 
to grow fruit instead of wood. Thus the graft¬ 
ing on a stock of minor growth, or the ringing 
of a branch, or the tying a ligature round it, or 
anything which checks the growth of a tree or 
branch, inclines it to fruit. I have been told by 
one whose word I trust as well as my eyes, that 
he once cut a standard pear-tree half down (that 
is, he cut half through the stem just above the 
root), because, though a gross-grower, the tree 
never bore fruit. He was accidentally called otf 
his work, and neglected to finish it. The tree 
not only lived, but was ever after a profuse 
bearer. It is the beautiful and beneficent pro¬ 
vision of our Creator that, in proportion to their 
age, decay, and approach to death, the vital 
