River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-03-22
A Charming study.
Harper's Young People.

Harper's Young People
Most plants are alike in having roots,
stems, and leaves, and some sort of flow
er and seed-vessei. But the parts look
SO very different in different plants that
It is sometimes little hard to tell which
g which. In some the roots grow in the
air, and in others the stems grow under
ground. 1t is only by studying what the
parts do that it is possible to be sure
what they are. The mostimportant Part
of every living thing is its stomach, be-
cause everything that lives must eat and
drink or die. There are some very curl.
GUS plants which have regular stomachs
into which their food goes, just rs il
does in an animal, and is digested, but
these are not very common. Some day,
however, when YOU have learned a little
more about simpler things, mean 70
tell you something about these strange
plants. Ordinary plants have roots to
supply them with food and water IN
the place of stomach.
Let us study the roots Of some plant.
Almost anything will do yon can do
bulb is the root, and looks very much
like an onion; the glass is vase made
for the purpose of growing hyacinths III
water. 1t slopes in from the bottom mp
ward. and then bulges out suddeni Y;
The bulb rests in this bullying part, and
has water below it and around its lower
part. The glass being clear, youc see
the roots grow as plainly as you can see
a leaf or flower bud unfold Perhaps
you have no hyacinth glass, and cannot
Get one; then try to make one for Your
self out of small glass jar. There will
certainly be a pickle bottle or preserve
Jar about the house that will answer per-
fectly well. All you want is to have the
bulb rest half in half out of the water,
with room below for the roots TO spread
through the water. Be careful TO keep
the water up to the right mark by az
ding little every day as the plant soaks
it up.
Or you may take a dozen grains Of
seed corn, soak them over night, and
then plant them an inch deep in box,
having about six inches OF more depth
of good earth. In about three days the
blade will como above the ground. Put
your hand or trowel down beside one
of the plants, and scoop it gently up.
Be sure you make your hand or troWel
90 away down below where the seed was
planted, so as not to bruise the tender
growth. Shake and blow the dust away,
and YOU will see several little white
thread-like roots coming from the grain.
If YOU take up in this way all the young
plants, one or two every day you VIII
see how they sprout and grow.
All these tiny roots have cap over
their growing end, so that when they
have to push their way among the hard
earth and stones, the growing part VIII
not get bruised. These roots take III all
the water which the earth supplies to
the plant.
The hyaeinth can grow in water alone
because it has been a proVldent ilttle
BODY and stored away enough food In
the little round carpet-bag of q bulb to
supply the plant for the first weeks of
its life. 1t only asks for the water 1t
needs to keep it alive and growing.
When the thirsty littie..roots have sucked
mn water enough, the bulb begins to
grow in the other direction. If you
look. YOU viii see solid lump of pale
green come up from the top like the
horns of calf or a baby's tooth. This 10
the young plant coming up out OF Its
dark cradle into the light and cir and sun
shine. The delicate growing end OF the
plant, which will after while bear ITS
beautiful spike of bells, is very tenderly
wrapped UP III tItc lShfSot - sSN'
through the tough skin of the bulb, the
plant grows straight up. 1t stretches it.
self after its long sleep in the sweet air
and light, the leaves lengthen,and broad
en- out, and the stem with its little knob
by buds comes up in the midst. These
will soon grow and unfold into beauty
and fragrance, and you will be rewarded
for all your long waiting, if watching the
wonderful growth day by day has not
carried its own reward with it,