Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-08-08

readily pass into the interior Of the cell, and
thence to every part of the plant by repe-
tition Of the same process. Until lately it
was generally supposed that the absorption
Of fluid took place only or chiefly, at the end
Of the root by means Of certain organs called
spOngioIe, which were supposed to exist at
the extremitles Of the rootlets, that is the
branches into which the root divides. These
spongioles were supposed to be a kind Of bulb
Gus expansion of the roots resembling, as
the name implies, little spOnges, whose Office
was to suck up the moisture from the ground,
just as sponge would under similar circum-,
stances. This idea has been shown to be al
together without foundation. On the con-
trary, the tips of the roots are covered by
sort of cap Of hardened, condensed tissue,
which enables them to push their way through
the soil without injury, but through which
no absorption takes place. The cells COM
posing it are filled with air, and do not con-
tain fluid. The principle absorption goes on
just behind the tips, in which part of the root
the growth is most vigorous, and consequent
ly the tissue is the newest aud the most del
icate. As the cells that compose the root
walls become older, they become harder and
6rmer, and admit fluid to pass through them
less readily. Many roots are covered with
innumerable minute exceedingly delicate
hairs, through which absorption takes place
very readily, and which increases the absorb
ing surface OF the root enormously.
The quantity of roots which each plant
possesses is usually far greater than is gener-
ally supposed, for they ramify in the soil to
such an extent, and the finer rootlets are SO
delicate, that when the plant is pulled up by
the roots very large proportion of them are
invariably broken off or left behind. The ex-
tent Of roots can best be ascertained by dig
ging down for several feet into the ground
near where the plants are growing SO as to
make pit and then washing away the earth
from the walls Of this pit by a stream of wa.
ter. When the soil is washed away by this
means from the wall of pit dug in a field
of wheat, the roots Of the wheat are exposed
in the form Of thick mat Of white fbres ex-
tending to the depth of from three to four
feet or even more. The 6bres Of winter whea
have been observed as deep as seven feet in
light subsoil.
The roots of rye, peas, beans, and other
similar agricultural plants present, when thus
treated, similar appearance. 1t has been
calculated that the total length of single
oat plant exceeds $50 feet
All the absorbing portions Of these roots
and especially those parts covered with hair,
are in very intimate contact with the soil
which forms kind Of envelope to them and
comes away with them when they are pulled
up out of the ground. If we pull up plant
} ofgrass, we shall see that while the older por
tions of the roots come up comparatively
clean, the younger portions and rootlets at
tnched to them, in which, as We have said
| absorption goes on to the greatest extent, are
) closely surrounded by covering consisting
4 of small particles of soil, which closely in
/, vests them like sheath. This is a mos
I important fact to remember, aud one which
7 has most important bearing on the ques
G tion as to the manner in which the food o
i plants is absorbed by the roots. 1t is iron
P the soil that the plants obtain their food, anC
t in the soil many of the substances which
= make up this food exist in a solid state. Thes
e have to be dissolved before they are take
: up by the plant. Plants will grow in ,cate
P containing the elements Of plant:tOod in so
y luton and will thrive in such solution, i
!. properly prepared, as well as in their nativ'
n soil. An experiment shows this clearly.
1t n grain of Indian corn is placed in cotto
,, wool and fitted by this means into slit il
It the cork Of wide.mouthed bottle nearly fill
l. ed with water, it will germinate and begi
d to develop plantlct. When the little plan
a has exhausted all the nourishment that wa
70 stored up fer it in the seed, it will begin
3, wither and will shortly die if The iDGter
s. pure. If, however, when the first gree
v leaves of the plant begin to show themselves
IN solution of the various Ingredients Of plan
to food, in the proper proportions, is substitute
ell for the pure water, the plant will continu
es to grow and thrive and may become, if sui
lg ably treated, large and we'll develope
IN field plant. The solution should conta
to lime, potash, magnesia, phOsphOric acid, su
l phuric acid, nitric acid, chlorine aud tra
:" of iron. We'll a0Gter, which always contai
IN some and frequently all of these substance
ak will often suffice alone. Some water plant
he such as duck.weed, must obtain their nou
a. ishment in this way; and it has been Su
'st posed that all plants we're nOurished in d
IT. same way. The rain is supposed to dissol
er the constituents of plant-food out OF the SO
Vn and then permeating the ground as moistul
IL to bathe the roots of the plants and give I
as to them its dissolved nutritive matter, jr
'n' as the solution used in water-culture does
he the plants whose roots are immersed in it,
ut One would fancy that if this were the W
Ily in which the plants obtained their food tn
id' the more water there was in the soil the b,
on ter would the plants thrive, but this is by
he means the case An unusual quantity
Ier stagnant water about the roots of ordina
ln' plants produces most injurious effect. I
IN COED effects that so commonly follow FRI
draining show this to be the case. The AMI
. ysis of drainage water also, seems to sh
that it cannot be from this that plants {