The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-10-13
Plant Growth Viewed as to Time.

Plants are arranged in three groups
as TO their period of existence, namely
Annual, biennial, perennial; that is,
whether they live for one, two, or more
than two years. The natural beginning Of
a seed-bearing plant is thegrowth frorl
the seed, or termination. The early
life of all plants in the three groups is
very much the same. 1t is an enlarge
ment of the embryo. or young plantlet.
that was formed in the seed before it was
separated from the mother plant. This
first growth is at the eNpenSe of food
that was packed away with the embryo,
either within or around its thickened
seed leaves. and both the plant and the
food that is to nourish its first
growth are surrounded by protective
coverings, called the seed coats Germi-
nation, though a complicated chemico-
vital process, is in essence the fore
ing of the young plant from its sur
rounding coverings and the establish
ment of itself in the soil and the sunshine.
This is a process that is common to all
plants that grow from seeds. The be-
ginning of an independent existence is
the formation of a seed, and with the
seeds the cycle is completed. The aim
OF every plant is the multiplication and
perpetuation of its kind, and as the seed
is the common form in which plant
units are cast off, it is clear that in the
formation of seed we have the end
toward which vegetation tends.
In the annual plant the whole round
of life is completed in single year; il
terminates. develops its system OF
roots, stems and leaves, produces Its
flowers and perfects its offspring-the
seed, all within the compass of a single
year. With this work done the old
plant dies In the biennial the method
is somewhat different. The first year is
devoted to the work of accommodating
material out of which the plant makes
It's seeds the following year. Compared
with the annual there is an unusual de.
selopment of roots and foliage, and to-
ward the end of summer, storing uI
Rf large amount of concentrated food
in some part of the plant. Contrast the
barley plant with its short life of a few
months, and simple straightforwardnes
IN all its processes, with the carrot.
turnip or beet, which has a large root
system and many leaves, for the first
gear, and an accumulation of starch,
sugar, etc, in the main root, at the end
of the season. No seeds have been
formed, and the end of the plants exist
ence has not been reached. The next
season the fieshy root sends up flower
stem, and the store of organic matter.
starch, ETC., that was made the previous
season is used up in the formation and
perfecting large number of seeds.
The original plant loses its life in the
production of many offspring or seeds.
In the third class is included all OF
our trees and shrubs, and a vast number
of herbs that are known By the general
term of perennials. They grow ON
from year To year, and In most cases
have no definite time in which to COM
plete the cycle. The first year of the
young tree, maple or oak, is materially
different from that of the annual oats OF
biennial beet; its time for getting ready
for the production of seed is heightened |
ont through several years. After the
time for the bearing of offspring has |
come, centuries may pass before death
ensues, in each year of which, if condi-
lions are favorable, seeds may be
formed. The process may be so slow
hat more than a single season is re-
luired for the growth and perfection OF
} seed. Agrfcnlturist.s