18 ABSORBENT VESSELS. Secr.Il. 9, 10.;|
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Neverthelefs, in fevere frofts it is neceflary to guard all the parts of
the ftem which is expofed to the open air, as is experienced in the
t through holes into hot-houfes, otherwife after the buds are put out a fevéré froft{o affets the ftems on the outfde of the houfe as to deftroy all the fruit of that year. Kenedy on Gardening, Vol.I. p.270. Andit is obferved in Mr. A. Aikin’s Natural Hiftory
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ofthe Vear, that much ice was carried from the ftreets in London in 1594, and piled round fome elm trees in Moorfields, many of which were deftroyed in the enfuing fpring by the flow melting of it.
9. The abforbent veffels of vegetables, like thofe of animal bodies, are liable to err in the felection of their proper aliment, and hence they fometimes drink up poifonous fluids, to the detriment or deftruction ofthe plant. Dr. Hales put the end of a branch of an apple-tree, part of which was previoufly cut off, into a quart of redtified fpirit of wine and camphor, which quantity the fem imbibed in three hours, which killed one half of the tree. Ves. Stat. p. 43. Some years ago I fprinkled on fome branches of a wall-tree a very flight folution of arfenic, with intent to deftroy infeéts; but it at the fame time deftroyed the branches it was thrown upon. And I was informed by Mr. Wedgewood, that the fruit-trees planted in his garden near Newcaftle in Staffordfhire, which confifted of an acid clay beneath the factitious foil, became unhealthy as foon as their roots penetrated the clay; and on infpec- tion it appeared, that the fmall fibres of the roots, which had thus penetrated the clay, were dead and decayed, probably corroded by the vitriolic acid of the clay, beneath which is a bed of coals.
It is, however, afferted by M. Buffon, that the roots of many plants will creép afide to avoid bad earth, or to approach good. Hit. Nat.
er.: ee_—
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Vo!.Ill. But thisis perhaps better accounted for by fuppofins, that the Î P) PP el roots put out no abforbent veflels, where they are not ftimulated by proper juices; and that an elongation of roots in confequence only fucceeds, when they find proper nutriment. 10. Lhefe long and large cylindrical abforbent veffels, which pañs from