Translations:Manfred Klett: Von der Agrartechnologie zur Landbaukunst/1507/en

One can experience it as a phenomenon of a special kind, how the sap streams of a perennial plant like valerian are constituted. First, the assimilation stream (phloem) from the leaf rosette feeds the growth of the rhizomes and roots, as well as their substance compositions, in which the material structure of the whole plant is already present. As soon as the stem begins to shoot upwards, these pre-formed substances flow into the ascending xylem stream and are compositionally refined anew in air, light, and warmth by the formative forces of the metamorphosing leaf region. Through them, the essential archetype of valerian forms itself in stem, leaf sequence, and inflorescence into its outer, sensible appearance. The earthly gravity of the substances in the rootstock passes over into «lightness» in the foliage and blossom and dissipates as fragrance.