The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1881-01-13
PAINT GROWTH.

A misapprchcnsiOn exists among
practical men relative to the simpler
processes of plant growth. Their OBJ
servations. not being properly interprc-
ted, have led TO false theories, which,
by influencing practice may and do re-
suit in loss.
A brief statement Of plant nutrition
is given below: The plant consists Of
two principal classes of substances,- the
volatile and the fixed. The latter con-
stitute from one 10 five per cent of the
dry weight of the plant. When the
plant is burned, 1t remains as ash. The
volatile part-comprlsing by far the
greater portion of the plant-consists
principally of carbon, oxygen, hydro
gen. nitrogen, and, probably, small
amount ofsulphur and phosphorus.
The ash is obtained entirely from the
soil; and consists of silica, potash.
lime. soda, magncsia, calOrine, phos-
phorc acid, sulphuric acid, etc. These
substances must enter the plant through
the roots, remain in solution in the sap,
and reach the leaves by osmose, in
dnced. principally, by chemical action
| in the leaves and tissues. OF the vola
tile portion. the oxygen and hydrogen
supplied i'm abundance by the soil wat
or but this can not be assimilated by
| the plant until il has reached the leaves.
| In these, BY the arch-chemic influence of
the sun. il is combined with other sub
stances to form albuminoids, cellulosc,
starch. sugar. fats, acids. etc. The car
bon Of all these substances-andi il is
generally the most abundant element
is derived from the carbonic acid Of the
atmosphere. The leaves of plants are
freely pcrmeable by the air: the car
bonic acid which il contains is decom-
posed in the leaves by the action of sum
light. The process has been called the
tixation of carbon. The opposit process,
the absorption Of oxygen aud evolution
of carbonic acid, goes on at all hours Of
the day and night; and is true respira-
ton. II seems to be concerned in the
transportation of the already prepared
material. The substances which have
been namcd.-hydrogen, oxygen. and
carbon, combined, form cellulose and
legnine. starch, sugar, fats, and gums.
The albuminOids contain nitrogen, in
addition to oxygen, hydrogen, and car
bon. They also contain small quauti-
ties of sulphur and phosphorus. The
free nitrogen of the atmosphere cannot
be appropriated by plants. Its COM
pounds only, are available to them.
| Ammonium co-bonate. which exists in
the atmosphere in very minute quanti-
ties. may enter the plant by the leaf.
Bat by far the greater portion of the
nitrogen of plants must come from nj
trogenous compounds in the soil. The
growing parts and the seeds coutain the
carbo-hy dratcs and the alhuminods. But
the heart-wOOd and other inactive plants
consist entirely OF cellulOsc. lignine aud
ash.
Since leaves are the laboratory in
which the proximate elements of plants
are formed from inorganic compounds
that exist in the soil and the air. their
importance 10 the plant is manifest.
Without leaves there can be no true
growth. The plant grows at It's own
expense starch, sugar, etc, being built
into tissue. Other things being equal.
the more leaf surface. the greater wood
growth.
| These are the principles involved.
Advantage may be taken of them in the
care Of trees. Were wood growth ali
that is desired, no pruning would be
called for. But there are many copsid-
erations that outweigh this. And Of.
ten branches that are mcagcrly supplied
with foliage. life at the expense Of the
more healthy ones.
We hear much regarding the flow Of
sap. There is but one proper flow of
sap--from the roots 10 the leaves. and
into the atmosphere. This is caused by
evaporation. The nutrient material
may go either up or down. wherever it
is needed, and independently of the mo-
ton of the waters. The bleeding of
plants is because they contain more
moisture than escape by evaporation.
Where wound is made, the sap will
then flow from all sides, owing to the
pressure to which it is subjected. Prot.
Faiiycr.