The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-10-02
THE THIRST OF PLANTS.
Enormous Quantities of Water Pumped Up
From the Soil by the Roots.

Enormous Quantities of Water Pumped Up
From the Soil by the Roots.
Haberlandt has calculated that an acre of
rye, during its growth and development
absorbs 1874 tons of water per acre; oats re-
quire $40 tons and wheat 4S9
The water, sucked or pumped up by the
roots from the soil, traverses the tissues of
the plant, depositlng nutriment therein and
finally is evaporated by the leaves. This
process is called Transportation. As the soil
furnishes the supply of water, that supply,
In order that the plant can develop itself
normally, ought to equal at least the vol
ume of water given of by the leaves.
Should this equilibrium be broken, the
leaves droop, become dried and fall. Not
only does the plant languish during an In
sufficient supply of water, but the energy
of its green matter cells decreases. The
assimilation of carbon ceases, and the
growth of the plant is stopped. 1t is the
same in rearing stock. If badly fed the
animal will be stunted.
The Transportation of the plant is 10 times
greater in presence of full light than in OBJ
SECURITY, and during dull, cloudy weather
the Transportation is one half less than UNI
der the direct action of the solar rays.
Judge, then, of the suffering of vegetation
when rain is absent and the sky clear al !
the sunlight continuous The only re
sources the plant has, in the absence of an
artificial supply of water by irrigation, Is
to send its roots tapering deep into the soil.
Professor Deherain has traced the root
let's of wheat to depth of 50 inches in the
soil.
The botanist Wolkens corroborates these
views still more forcihly in the course of
his voyage in Egypt and Arabia One OF
the salient characteristics of the roots of
plants in the desert is the enormous length
| of their roots Plants whose height above
/ the surface of the soil never exceed the
length of hand have the root at the neck
| as thick as the thumb, tapering to the vol
ume of the little finger at the depth OF
/ yards 1t is to their vast descending root
| lets that the plants of the desert owe their
existence and are able to fight the burning
heat, which would cause IA branch of the
same plant, if detached, to fade in the
course of five minutes.
Irrigation then furnishes to plants their
requisite humidity, and thus insures regu
lar and increased development. In the
south of France and in the north of Italy
the judicious and abundant supply of wateI
to heritage lands insures considerable but
not extraordinary yields. Thus in the De
partment of Vaucuse six tons of hay pei
acre are secured, which at 100 francs pei
ton means money receipt of 600 francs
In the same region five to six cuttings OF
lucern are obtained, representing total
of eight tons.
In parts of Provence the land irrigated
possesses a value five times superior to that
which is unwatered.
Parallel results exist in Lombardy. II
the little village of Orange, in the south Of
France, the local stream is utilized by tloui
and other mills during the week days. Or
Sunday the water irrigates ESQ acres. Were
it allowed to flow every day over arid soils
that need to slake their thirst, $500 acres
in all could thus yield more enormous re
suits in year than the mean annual rev
enue Of the mills, which is only $1,000
francs.-Paris Cor. Our Grange Homes.