Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-02-17

Lecture by Prof. q. r.. Perkins in the
Course for Farmers.


The semi weekly lecture in the winter
course to tanners was dellveled at the
experiment station Friday afternoon, Feb
rualy 10. by Prof G. H. Perkins of the
L. V. NJ. on the Laws Of plant OF
growth Prot, Perkins said that no man
can successfully cultivate plants without
"A definite knowledge at the outset of the
laws that govern their growth and deyel-
opment The first law is that all plants
primarily depend for their sustenance Oh
inorganic substances. This means that
the first life must have been plant life, be-
cause animals cannot live on inorganic
material. Plants can live on inorganic
substances alone, but we have learned to
aid thc m in their growth by applying or
ganic matter. The second law Is that the
plant begins as a simple cell, and what
ever changes may occur during the period
of its growth it never loses this character
istic of the cell. 1t may be multiplied,
may increase in size or may multiply in
definitely but it always grows in regular
way. The third law is that plants feed
only on liquid food or on gases and can
never asslmilate solids because its nOuriSh.
meut must pass through the walls Of these
cells. 1t is perfectly safe to use paris
green on potato tops because it is insol-
uble and consequently cannot get into the
potatoes. Plants need nitrogen, but
they cannot get it as well as
pure nitrogen, from the air as from
the soil by means of the roots or from the
air by means of the leaves in the form Of
ammonia The fourth law is that fore :.
always accompanies the growth of plants.
There Is more force required III the growth
of any plant than we are apt to consider.
We know this to be true from many eX-
periments that have been made. A simple
way to prove the truth of this law is to ar
range weight so that growing squash
or other vegetable will be obliged to raise
it as it grows. A squash in England re
Gently raised 5000 pounds in two months
or with. We find everywhere this law
and we may set it down that whereve"
there is growth there is also prodgious
force. The fifth law is that plants make
all preparations for growth by day
and grow by night. The materials
are made ready for use during the day by
the action of the light and the sun and
grow for the greater part during the
night. The air and soil in contact with
plant is constantly changing and this
leads us to consider whether house plants
are harmless or injurious. They take III
carbonic acid and give back the oxygen to
thr air. They also give out moisture TO
the air and for these reasons they are not
only not harmless, but are to he sought
after for their health-giving properties.
The production of seed is the eliminating
point in the life of "a plant, and what is
then left is OF less value than 1t would
have been had the plant been cut just be
fore the seed became ripe. Professor
Perkins always delivers an instructive
and entertaining lecture, and the one OF
Friday was no exception to the rule. A
number of questions germane to the sub
ject were asked by those present and
President Buckham announced that the
next lecture would be given on Tuesday.
February IA, by Hon. f. ID. Douglass of
Whiting, who was prevented from meet
ing his engagement January ~ because
of the storm.