The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1875-06-17
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as determined from week to week
by putting a peculiar test upon q
squash, have been published from
time to time, but the whole pro-
gress Of the experiment was de-
tailed By President Clark, at 8
late meeting of the Massachusetts,
State Board of Agriculture, IN q
lecture on Plant Growth. We
take the account from the report
il the New EngIand Farmer
It had been known for 8 long
time that plants exerled consider
able force during their growth
Beans, acorhe and other seeds lift
an amount Of weight, as they rise
up from The soil in the early stages
Of their growth. Mushrooms have
been known to lift flag stones
weighing eighty pounds from their
bed in garden walks. and shade-
trees ia Cur streets frequently lift
the pavements, and even crowd ID
basement walls under our houses.
with their roots. The force meas
ured in d black birch was equal to
raising a column Of water eighty
six feet. while the sap was IN mo-
ton. The idea was conceived att
Che Massachusetts Agricultural
College Of measuring the force Of
a growing plant, and 4 squash was
selected as d subject for such an
experiment It seemed To be the
most ayailab Bile Of anything Ye
could try -, last spring, 9 bed
OF rich compost was prepared and
placed in one Of the glass houses
at tie College, where observations
could be made night and day
through the summer, and during
an weather. The soil was plaesd
in large, tight box or tank. in
which the roots were maae 70 st u,
and during some Of the stages Of
the squashs growth it was
watched. and hourly observations
made and recorded, for a whole
week at q time.
Squashes are made up 0f lbroUs
tissues tho outside fibres run
lengthwise, then another set, like
bands, cross these, holding the
saIashes together The other way
and then, on the inside, is another
set running lengthwise, TO which
the seeds are attached. Tile
Embarrassed squash was now ez
hibited, showing unmistakable
signs of having been driven in L
harness much too small for it.) a
strong box had been prepared Ia
receive it, with boards set edge
wise in the bottom, on which the
squash was laid, like a baby III KS
cradle, hnt unlike the baby it was
told to he there during its entire
growth to The pesiod of mature
squashhood. Iron bolts and straps
easily secured the cradle, but
something must be done 10 keep
the growth from rising. Or II II did
rise, 10 Indicate tho power exerted.
ain ir0n grate or harness, made
open to admit light and air. as the
squash would rot ID a tight closed
bo1, Was ioFmed Ia shape similar
70 the Saddle of a cart harness.
This was placed over tire squash
and weights placed upon il. first q
light one, then, as il was lifted by
tic growth of tie squash, 4 heavier
one was laid ON 25 ibs, then 50,
next 100, then 900, and after that
200 ut q time
Ik soon became difficult TO ind
weights at room for them. TIE
saddle got foil. Then an inch bar
81 steel was arranged on the prln
ciple of steelyards one end being
fastened down 60 the cradle bed 81
The squash, mud at one foot from
the end. 0r Just over the middle 81
the sluash, bearing vas made
and beyond shis bearing, weights
we're hung. as weights are huug
upon 5 weighing bar. Weights
were piled on till che bar broke
Then 4 chestnut timber $50 inches.
eoOd 0nd sound vas put i'd place
az the broken bar, and loaded with