Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-10-12

THE wsNrER REST or TREES.
Trees have not an absolute
and entire rest during wintor-
The sap circulates more or less
from root to branch during the
mild days Of the season. II the
trunk Of a tree is measured in
autumn, and again in spring, it
will be found that il has enlarged
ITSELF And yet relatively to
their condition in summer, trees
in winter are at rest. They close
their annual hbors in autumn.
some Of them early In the season,
others later. Some Of them
show that they are tired Of ma
king leaves and branches, and
fruit, even before frost comes
The maple, bass, birch aud hick-
DRY indicate IL, about the middle
Of September, by holding out
flags Of yellow and red. Others,
as the elm and ash, give up work
at the first touch OF frost. But
with what a splendid pomp do
these and all the other trees COM
bine TO clothe the hills before
they lay OF their summer dra-
perry and go to restl This, their
last, IL the most brilliant perfor-
nance Of the year. 1t would
seem that they did this on pur-
pose that the world might deep
ly feel, during the desolations Of
winter, that it was a serious mat
ter for them to 60 to sleep
Some other trees, as The oak,
willow, poplar, and certain fruit
trees, hold their leaves unchang-
ed several weeks after irost, and
drop them only in the very teeth
Of winter.
An important part Of the last
work Of all trees for the year, is
the making Of leaf and fruit buds
Cor tho next season. Aud what
q beautiful and wonderful piece Of
work II Is! Bya subtle process
best known 10 themselves, (say'
rather, only to the God Of ma
ture,) tho delicate germ Is form
ed, around it a small, tender
leaves nre folded in successive
layers, and over all a coat Of
varnish Is laid, making II water
proof, aud then this work Is done
These buds being formed, and
tho newly-grown wood instureo
90 as 10 endure the cold 81 win
ter, the leaves rustic 10 thg
ground, and the entire work o.
Tho tree Is ended.
Trees obviously need thi rest
they must aud will have it,
Leaves do not Call, simply be
cause they are cut of by thu
chemical action OF frost. IL
some cases, they drop before iros
comes. In our extreme southern
States, and in the region Of th,
tropics, trees have their rest II
winter, as well MS they do il
northern couniries. Tho oak
maple, mulberry, ash, peach, &c,
cast their leaves aud remain
dormant during the wiaier month";
although the temperature Of tin
air is as high as IL Is durin,
much Of the summer az tn
north. Their winter rest is, in
deed, shorter than they wouI,
have in colder climates, but a sen
son oil repose, Of considerable,
length, they always have.
The beech sheds its leaves il
November, and does not sont
out new cnes till April.--a rest o
about ono hundred aud forty nin'
days. The palm tree drops it
leaves in the middle of Octo
Der, and rests nearly one hun
dred days The tulip-tree rest
one hundred and fifty days
From facts like these, it ap
appears that many Trees whicl
are the natives Of cold climates
when transplanted in warme
regions, drop their leaves noarl.
rs soon, and rest nearly as lonl
as in their original localities.
Evergreen trees. likewise. hav
their period Of rest. and that In .
climates. They do not cast al the
leaves at one time. Like deciduou
trees. they have short rest in sum
NOR. and long one In winter.
II We dig up q small trsu or shrul
late in the euhmn. AMI transfer II q
h box po.ia a green hoase. it'wil
not open is bads or buds and grow
until IL has taken is annual rest
We may water II ever so abandantly
and surround Il with the mir Of sum
ner. u will still claim its appropriate
rest. That rest may be shorter Their,
than Il would have been In the oper
air; the plant may be forced into
premature growth. but Il will show
plainly that II needs q period of re
pose. and is reluctant to be disturbed
II stimulated too long, il viii becom
sickly. and at length die. thus show
ing that an important Law Of natur'