Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-06-28
Mlistrllancous.
Curious Facts relative to the
Leaves of Trees.


the chief beauties of nature. Our impati-
ence to see them bud in the spring, and our
joy when they appear, sufficiently declare
how much we consider them the pride of
our gardens, fields and woods What a
grateful shade they form in the hot days of
summer, when, retreating from the fervent
rays of the sun, we repose on the bank Of
some clear stream beneath the overhanging
trees Yet this is the least Of the advan-
tages which the leaves of trees afford. We
have only to consider their wonderful struc-
ture, to be convinced that they are formed
to answer much more important purposes.
Each leaf has certain vessels, which, being
closely compressed at the extremity Of the
stock, extend themselves like ribs on the
interior part Of the leaf, and ramiiy in vari-
GUS directions; and every leaf contains also
an astonishing number of pores. In one
species of box, called Palma CereriS, one
hundred and seventy-two thousand pores
have been enumerated on one side of the
leaf In the open air, the leaves turn their
upper surface towards the sky; and the UNI
der towards the earth, or the interior part
of the plant. To what purpose could this
particular arrangement conduce, if leaves
trees and affordng an agreeable shade p
Surely the Creator had something more inn
portant in view.
Leaves are instrumental to the nutrition
of plants, by imblblng through their pores
the humidity of the atmosphere, which they
communicate to the whole plant. How ad-
mirable is the wisdom of their organization
By its means, plants in dry seasons do not
run the hazard of being deprived of mois-
ture; they receive a plentiful supply of re-
freshing dew, which, falling upon the up
per leaves, drops from them upon the lower
ones, so that all receive portion, and none
of the invigorating juice is lost 1t appears
from various experiments, that plants per-
splre to a considerable amount, and the
leaves have been ascertained TO be the chief
organs of this function. They also contrib
ute to introduce into the interior of the
plant the air of which it is in want, as well
as to extricate that which ii has used and
they tend 10 the preservation of the buds
which are to bloom the following year =
many trees, when stripped of their leaves,
wither and die. This frequently happens
to the mulberry tree, whose leaves are taxi
en- to feed silk worms; and this is the rea-
son why the grapes never arrive at maturl-
ty, when the vine has been stripped Of its
leaves in summer.
We may make another remark upon this
subject, which throws some light on the
manner in which plants acquire their grad
ual growth. The interior surface of leaves,
which is turned towards the earth, is always
of paler color and less shining appearance,
and is more rough and spongy than the up
per surface. This peculiarly enables it
more effectually to imbibe the dew which
exhales from the earth, and to distribute
it with mere facility and abundance to the
whole plant The leaves turn TO that point
whence they receive the most nourishment;
hence we observe the leaves of certain
plants hang very low. The leaves of trees
which grow OH steep mountain take per-
pendicular direction, by which they are able
to acquire the necessary degree of humdl-
ty
| We have here fresh cause to admire the
supreme wisdom of God, and we may hence
forth consider the leaves of trees III another
point of view. When we were ignorant of
their structure, and the important ends that
they answered, it was not extraordinary that
we saw them with Indifference. But now
that we see each leaf displays evident marks
of Divine Power, and is an organ of fertili-
ty, it will be impossible to view them again
with nattention or disregard; and whenev-
er we see them we shall acknowledge that
every thing, even the least object of nature,
has been arranged by the wisdom of the
Creator