The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-01-07
RAvENNA, o. THURsDAY, JAN. Z. 1869,

or by continuing to apply more and
more mortar at one end of his work.
Here, at the extremity of the root, is
where its growth lengthways, takes
place. And here also, behind this in
durated cap is the stomach-so to
speak-of the root. The pabulum IS
received into the spongiole, digested, I
to all intents and purposes, just as
much as the food that enters the stom-
ach of living animal. Here it Is
concocted into sap and fibrous mate |
rial and by process. which mortals
are not permitted to look into-as all
this occurs in darkness-the hard cap
or point of the miniature mole-plow--
is thrust forward, farther and farther
from the parent stem. In this way,
rootlets and branch rootlets and muf-
tiple rootlets continue to be formed.
until every cubic inch of the low seed
bed has been provided with a score of
open mouths ready to lay hold of any
material that may be in the soil, and
which is adapted to the requirments
of the growing plant. The spongioless
of certain kinds of plants will lay hold
of coarse, hard, and rough materials,
and appropriate them to the purposes
of the plant, just as goats will subsist
| on weeds and other rough feed which
sheep would refuse. Roots benefit the
soil in two ways-by their action i'll
life and their function after death.
Thus, clover and the thistle roots
piercea stiff subsoiI and by capillary
attraction draw up potash, lime, iron,
and phosphorus in solution. When
the plant dies these substances are
nearer the surface than they were be-
fore, while the decay ofthe root yields
humus. How to promote growth of
roots is consideration of the greatest
practical Importance to every person
who trainsa growing win e, or culti-
Yates tiny flower. The vital fluid,
which is to trees and plants what blood
is to the animal system, enters the cir
culation through the spongioles of the
innumerable radicles which are sent
out in quest off such material as the
plant requires, to build up the stem and
branches, and to develop the fruit. If
the earth, therefore, be in such a fine
state of pulverization that the tender
radicles can spread readily in every
direction, several feet below the sur
face, the requirements of the growing
roots, in very important respect will
have been met. In many localities
nature has done all that any tree OF
plant may require, as the entire earth,
, as far down as roots will ever stri Ike
even were they to descend as far al
the stem pushes upward, is SO porous
mellow, and fertile that the tender
radicales meet with very little resist
ance. Such land will require no break
, ing up with the sub-soil plow or spade
On the contrary, where the strata o
} earth beneath the surface mould is 81
! indurated and stubborn that in dr..
weather spade cannot be thrust int
it with one effort of the foot, there th'
trench plow, the sub-soiler, the spade
: the; pick, and the e1od crusher shoult
all be brought into requisition, in pre-
, pairing the bed for the penetration Of
| the countless radicles that must sprins
into life, before our palates can be re
, galed with the wheaton loaf or tn
lucieus fruit. The delicate radicles o
fruit-producing plants and trees canno
: feed on coarse and rough material
The roots of such plants as are cultiya
ted for the food they yield, canno
3 appropriate Jumps of earth to the de
: velopment of the stem and fruit, an,
more than bullock when confined tt
a straw stack can lay on the excellen
/, steak or the delicate tenderloin. Ev
cry minute atom for the nourishmen
of plants must be changed from th
solid to the liquid condition, and b.
brought in contact with the spongiole
at the extremities of the radicles, whic
D cannot leave their places to go .afte
e one drop of nourishment, but the.
y must remain. stationary with mouth
d ever open to catch the minute particle
: as they are washed downward by tn
decending raindrops. Therefore, tn
finer the course fertilizing materia
). can be reduced. and the more thor
t oughly the seed-bed can be commin
f ated before the germs are planted i
i the mould, the more readily will tn
s roots perform their Office Of buildin
8 up strong and healthful stems, and Q
developing abundant crops Worlo
e OLDEN CONGRESSIONAL FUN.