Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-02-04
Controlling the Sap of Plants.

WHAT influence has bending, twisting,
cutting or regulating the sap of plants on
the growth of them?
Take branch and bend it down. What
will be the result? On that place where
the branch is bent, the sap, the nutritious
element of the plant life cannot circulate
any longer as freely as before; those yes
sells that bear the fluid through the cells
of all parts are to some extent compressed; !;
the developing process in the upper parts
of the branch is retarded; the sap looks
for other channels, it is accumulated in
the lower parts, by which means greater
growth and perfection of the flower bud
are produced, and fertility will be the re-
suit
BY twisting, the same effect is produced.
BY pinching off the end of the flower
bud, the bud will be developed in year,
which will produce flower buds the follow
ing season.
BY pruning and trimming fruit trees,
the regulating of the sap is of the utmost
importance. By cutting off too much wood,
the roots, those parts of the plants that
take off from the soil the nutritious ele-
ments, will supply the plant with the
same quantity OF sap as when uncut, and
instead of furnishing nOurishment for the
trely perish for want of issues under the
bark. The gardener has, therefore, to
prune very judiciously; a moderate cir.
cuation of the sap by lightly trimming
or pruning, or bending the branches from
a vertical position to a horizontal one,
or by rubbing off some of the buds, the
sap, sufficiently moderated, will produce
| fruit
When cabbages grow too vigorously, so
that their leaves seem more disposed to
spread than to form heads, then cleave
their stalks through and through, often
three and four times during the season OF
their vegetation. The free circulation of
the sap is by this means interrupted, and
the impetuosity of the sap moderated.
would not advise to break off the lower
leaves as some people do, for in most cases
it is done too early or too late, and instead
of producing heads, the growth of the
leaves is only accelerated
| In shortening the tops of our peas and
| beans, the flow of the sap is also slack
ened, and greater development of the
pod is effected. AS soon as the second
or third flowers of the peas appear, pinch
off above these; do it in due time and in
right measure, and the peas, making new
branches below the second flowers, will
furnish the gardener with plenty Of this
delicious fruit. Gathering the fruit as
soon as possible has, in the regard to the
ripening of fruit, left a similar effect.
When cutting off the vines of gourds,
squashes, melons and cucumbers, do il
above the first. formed fruit instead OF
leaving several TO form. The retarded sap
will develop the only fruit lett on the
vine. But if not only early fruit but
.,lu .Nwr Ia tod .,s.. a
of the young plants when they have
formed the sixth leaf, by which operation
side branches are produced which will
form very quickly plenty of fruit, and
besides this the fruit will ripen earlier.
Bruising the vines above the first formed
fruit "a method to which give prefer
ence) has the same effect. When this is
done the bruised part should be covered
with soil, Many gardeners who in rails
ing eauliflowers break the loose leaves
and bend them together above the newly