Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-03-03
Popular Errors about the "Risc and
~ Falp' Of Sap.

ny PROF. LINDLEY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
What curious hallucination is that which
supposes the sap Of trees TO fall, or settle,
in the winter into the roots One would
have thought that the notorious difficulty Of
examining quart of water into pint
measure, might have suggested the improb-
ability Of such phenomenon. For It GER
tainly does require a very large amount OF
credulity TO believe that the fluids Of the
trunk and head Of a tree, can by any nalu-
raj force Of compression, be compelled TO
enter so narrow lodging as the root. The
idea, however, has established itself in some
persons minds, and, we presume, in con-
nection with thar other old vulgar error,
that the sap is in rapid motion in the spring
time, in the roots Of a tree, before it begins
to flow in the branches. These WITNESSES
took their origin in days when the world
was contented TO accept assertions upon
trust, and when hypothesis aud vain mag-
inings formed the debased paper currency
Of science. But now men have found out
the value of golden standard, both for
money and for knowledge they call for
facts before theories; and the result, al
ready, is a wonderful disturbance in the
crowded ranks of scientific as well as his.
torica legends.
we snaii assume tue woru sap 10 SIGNIFY
'ne nu'us' Vi whatever ha'ute' which are
con'ained III 'he INFERIOR Of Tree. In the
spring, lne sap runs OUT OF Inc trunk, when
"o.nusu III Tue summer, autumn ana
wih'er, II uoes NOT un'ess exceptionally,
MANI Ns sPpea,s"oe' pu' VI ruin inc sap
- Always III p'o''on, AZ al seasons ana un-
ue' al circumstances except IN the presence
Vi INTENSE co'u' ,he diherence Is, thai
'nere Is grea. ueai OF IL III 'he spring, and
in"S III, iess AZ o'ne, seasons
"hen t.ee la's 10 resi- al inc approach
ol WINTER, It's leaves nave carried on SO
"1on more nu'u 'nan Tue roofs nave Deen
ao'e 70 supply, una. 'ne wno'e OF 'he in'erl-
~ s'a'e VI comparative aryness ;
wa. Amid has become solid IL oonso,,,o, 80
of the vsr;ous cben;c,i ch.unos ~
UNDERGONE Re,ween s;,,nio eSano,,,;"s
on the one hand. and chemical sol;d;6ca,;on
on the o,ber The s,n l. IN ,ho a,,,,,, -,
much diminished IN on,n,;,v ,s - he no
longer discoyerable h, more ;nc;sions
The power that plant NAV possess of re-.
sistinc cold. is in proportion 10 the rom.
pleteness of this driving process.
When the leaves have fallen off the Tree
is no longer subject to much loss of fluid
by perspiration, nor to extensive chemical
changes BY assimilation. for the leaves are
the principal organs of perspration and as |
sanitation. But the ABSORBING mower Of the |
roots is not arrested they. on the contra. |
ry, 20 on sucking fluid from the soil. and
driving it upwards into the system. The
effect Of this is, that after some months of
such action, that loss of fluid which the
tree had sustained in autumn by its leaves
is made good, and the whole plant IS dis
tended with watery PARTICLES. This is a
most wise provision, in order 10 insure
abundant food 10 the new born leaves and
branches, when warmth and liuh, stimulate
them into growth.
During all the winter ner;od Tho can an
pears indeed 10 he a, res, for the 70 G ri ap
process Is n verv Gradual ono H., ~
Rio, manv vears sro nroyoJ hr -. -
ions nnnarotus ,hs, tho rate n mo,;oS nr
the san NAV he mcas,rad a, al, so,sons .,d
he ,scer,,;ned :, a. Lo i, s,a,o 80 ~
cradle ,c,;y;,y in mid, ,,;r,or " so"s,
or ,b;nrs ho ionnd ,h,, f., al s o'n'
ble ;naSsnco unon ,ha d;so.,;o 'G"s'Ie'
,l,o 49,, 49, II, ~ VINO"
.ns '"P mo'ea ~ "',u "eI'nef, tue sap
"as oohs'an'.y r'sng OUT when irosl was
enPerienceu' 'he SAP moved DacK agaln-a
pnenomehoh "nich ne referred 10 the con-
,rac;lng power OF cold on inc vessels Of the
u",,N anu orahcnes' tue enec' oil which was
70 lorce 'ne sap uowhworus INTO the roots
yns ~ warmer medium Them again,
Mn WIZ 'ue 'ios' ieacheu Inc roofs themselves
s cnu GeSun ac.ng on men, Inc sap was
'o.Seu oach ln'o 'ie trunk pui as soon as
q, nav came on, ana tue ground recovered
, ts "ea'' 'he roo.s' Out oil winch part OF
'"o sap nsu oeeh forced upwards, were
-, %sa"n hlieu ny 'ne huius above them, and
.ne 'ap was 'olceu 10 iaIl' large Poplar
veg III .he ia''e' STATE, having been cut
ao'oss al Inc ground line, the surface oil the
stump was iound TO be dry, but The end OF
.ne 'iuhk nseli dripped win sap. Sap,
men, Is always IN motion and II 1t ever
se"'es 10 Inc roofs IN visible manner, that
- owing 10 temporary causes, the removal
Vi whicn causes lis instant re'ascent:
as 70 inc idea that The bleeding OF a tree