The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-26


Be under the burning ruins
THE s0IL AND raR An
Why WasAingssa Must Re . Great Css.-
try fer Fsui6
rrcG z. h Lake.
From the air the plant takes much OF III
food and the taking Of this depends en-
tireiy upon light Carbon. A element OF
plant structure existing in the air In the
form Of carbonic gas. 10 taken into the
plant through the breathing pores (cioro-
phyli) Of the outer cells Of these organs. It
is digessed; !. e.. the carbon Is separated
from the oxygen, combined with water
and other elements found within the plant
and then, in these new and various
combinations known - starch. plant
sugar. or glucose. Is transported by means
Of watery solutions to the various parts OF
the plants to be used in cell building, or
increase in general size Of plant. or 70 Dc
stored up for future use ~ in seeds. bulbs,
tuhers, fieshy roots and the like. This
work, the changing of gas OF the air into
An element of plant structure next In Inn
portance to water, carbon forming about
50 per cent. of the dry matter Of Wants or
from 4 TO IS per cent. of the bulk OF the
plant, 10 done BY the leaves through tho
action Of the sunlight, other conditions
being equal.
No matter how much of other elements
there may be, without IN abundance OF
sunshine naught would be brought forth
from . seed. not even plant Without
plenty of water . like condition would
prevail, for be 1t known that OF every 1OO
pounds of apples. peaches, pears ana Der
ries produced, there arc between eighty
and ninety pounds of water stored therein.
II is readily seen. therefore. that the I'M
portance of water a. . factor In fruit pro-
duction cannot be easily overestimated.
But not only Is the necessity OF mucn
water made evident through such illustra-
tons, but il is likewise forced upon US by
daily observation in orchard, garden and
vineyard. During hot summer days,
the plant cuiturist observes the nag.
ging leaves, the dropping head and
Withered fruit of the plant that Is
suffering from the want OF water. as
readily as a physician detects symptoms
of q malignant disease. 1t IS not, now
ever. alone the function OF water TO be.
come large element Of fruit and other
plant products: but it plays a. essential
part in the economy of plant life. growth
and DEVELOPMENT. Obtaining IS plants do
nearly oil Of the various mineral constit-
uents Of their structure from the ground
and these being Of necessity In very dilute
solution. part to 1000 or even l0,oOo parts
Of water, il Is at once apparent that large
quantities Of water must enter plant In
order to carry into its organization
amounts Of solid mineral matters vary
ing from I to Is per cent. OF its weight. or
even much more in some plants that are
not used for fruit or flower pro-
duction. Water 10 the medium OF
- hot n
products Of root-action, ieaf-action, cell
action and the growing points OF plant
or its reservoirs or store houses OF plant
food. II Is the medium by which tho crude
solutions of mineral substances are taken
from the minute cells Of root hairs to the
color cells of the leaves; by which the
elaborated products Of these latter cells are
transported to the growing tips of shoot,
branch, leaf, bud or root; by which these
solutions are again dissolved or redis-
solved and finally fitted for use in that
part of the piant's organization for which
they are reQuired-and STALL the work 10
not ended. When oil this has been done
much Of the water passes out OF the plant
system through the same pores. at which
air enters, and in its exit carries other
waste matter with it. an all-wise consum-
nation of its varied labor.
The soil, it would appear from this, Is
but secondary factor. A truth We are
only too often fain TO admit, and yet one
that on careful consideration must be ap-
parent to all though j. is an important
one. ! say though the soil is really but
important one. secondary because without
favorable climate and sufficient water sup
ply no amount of earth would give forth
the fruits that delight the eye and crafty
the taste of our modern people; but on the
contrary the most sterile soil. under a
propiiious cline and through mans in
dustry may become as fruitful as Nilean
garden. We are too apt to look upon our
acres 40 the great st0re-house from which
we may draw year after year the requisites
of q CROP while in truth 1t Is little more
comparatively than place Of support
for the plant. "a material furnishing
foothoid for the roots that the plant may
be supported in the best position Tor car
ryins on its life functions" 1t is not a.
source of matter for vegetable nutrition
nor a. a magazine. storehouse or labora-
tory for the reception or preparation OF
matter tor plant nutrition that the soil
ranks so high as an horticultural factor.
but because il is . medium through which
the plant may most effectively carry on
work. the plant skeleton. II IS true. comes
directly from the soil in substance. but
this is only q small part OF the whole
plant. 1t is cardinal principal in
horticulture that between roots and
stems a balance must be main
famed il we would insure to horti-
culturists the best returns for labor
expended in plant culture. 1t is no
less truism that leaves and stems to be
healthy must be bathed during the period
of active growth in pure air and bright
sunshine, and likewise roots TO do their
duty must have free access to heat, air
and moisture. The first Is supplied by
sunshine. the last by rain. The easier the
access 20 these substances the more vigor-
Gus and heai,hiul will be root action. pro-
y.ding other things. such - limited sup
plies of minerals and healthy leaf action
remain normal Then that soil which Is
readily penetrable bv roots, contains am
pie moisture and il warm. Is the best Tor
the purposes of the borticuiturist. we
are To be congratulated that as common
wealth of this great nation. We are the
fortunate pos,esso-s Of thousands OF acres
of soil having these desirable characters
tics. From our mountain slopes TO our
river bottoms our soil is unsurpassed Tor
the purpose of plant growth, as haoisa-
ton of the plant in particular. whiie nucn
of 1t. yes, the greater part OF IL, possesses
ali the needed minerals necessary TO vig-
orous plant life.
How to stop swarm OF Bees.
Fsirhayen Herald.
man standing in the street, stopping
the fight az n swarm of ices, was one nj