Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-10-01


site party holds that the ssp Of many
plants may be, and often is, complete
ly frozen, without IN any way in
juring the vitality of the plant. 1t 10
not my design to enter upon discuss
ion of this point at this time; but /
will simply remark in passing, that
after several years Of careful obssrva-
ton. I am fully convinced that the
sap of many plants does frequently
freeze solid, without,in any degres,in-
isring the vitality of the plant.
What desire at present is, to re-
mind the readers Of the Scientific
Farmer" of some of the best methods
of restoring frosted plants to their
normal condition without injury. 1t
is not so much the freezing, a. the
thawing, that Injuries plants; and it Is
possible,by taking proper precautions
during the 'hawing process, to guard
against and prevent the evil conse'
ouences that would naturally follow
freezing and thawipg. Just how the
injury is done, is not always known;
but I think it quite certain that it is
not always in the same way. In some
cosss, there is no doubt but the irJu-
nv results FROM the expansion OF the
fluids of the plant, resulting in the lac
Grafton of the cell walls This e1pan-
sion often results in stlaiuing the It's
sue. where actual disruption OF the
structure does not take place. In TINS
case. if the thawing is done very slow
". so that the walls that have been
pressed out of place can return gradu"
ally and slowly to their former posi-
ton, it will often happen that no per-
ceptible harm will result from Sc
we're freeze, where, il the thawing were
done suddenly and with considerable
of heat, the texture would be Injured
and the life probably destroyed.
This effect of freezing is purely
mechanical in its nature. There i', IN
addition to this, chemical change
that takes place in the plant that has
an important bearing on the result
The expansion spoken of above, for
ces water into cells or vessels Intended
only for air; and, on the other hand'
air is mingled with water into cells
where its presence is deleteriOus' These
deleterous results follow more surely
and severely if the plant is exposed TO
light and warmth before thswlng has
been accomplished, and the internal
arrangements have had time to read
lust themselves. The effects OF the
freezing depend largely on the circum-
stances under which the thswing takes
place.
To order to avoid ill-effects, the fol-
lowing plan should be adopted; As
soon as a plant is known to be frosted
it should be placed in a dark room
where the temperature is but one or
two degrees above the freezing point
The darkness will prevent injurious
chemical changes that would result
from the presence of light, while the
low temperature will cause the thaw-
ing to toke place very slowly. In
mersion in water raised to one or two
degrees above freezing, will often sI-
tract the fros, without injurious con-
SEQUENCES, when, if lett TO the ordina-
ry course of nature, the plant will be
DESTROYED. In case of trees sr plants out
doors a shOwering with water just as
1.-The sun falls on them will often pre-
vent all injurious consequences A
smoke made to pass among or between
trees and the sun, to intercept his rays
till thawing takes place, will often
prevent any ill-cOnsequences'
r. Vrup,rr