9.81m (32.18ft). Viktor Schauberger found that it had more to do
with a metabolic process:
On many occasions I have already stated that the rising of sap
in trees cannot be explained by the physical factors hitherto
put forward alone, such as the effect of the external air pres-
sure, etc., but that its explanation is to be found in the on-
going metabolic processes in constant pulsation in every cell
of the tree and is therefore a result of the vital activity of the
capillary tree-cell. Professor Kurt Bergel of Berlin came to
similar conclusions in relation to the activity of the heart and
the blood in animal life.^1The healthy movement of sap is stimulated both by the pulsating
action and by the extreme fineness of the capillaries to be found in
a completely naturally grown tree (Fig. 15.2). When the carbonic
acid contained in the water and sap is warmed, it is converted into
- THE METABOLISM OF THE TREE
Fig. 15.2. Rising sap.
As the day warms bubbles of CO 2 completely fill
the narrow capillaries like corks, pushing water,
sap and nutrients in front of them. As night cools,
the sap sinks, sucking down the CO 2 , the sap
and the nutrients.