The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-05

Agrieultural Eaueatien.
rhese means, of course, are not per.
feet, but they are nevertheless sum.
GENTLY potent to greatly modify the
conditions OF nature in such a way as
20 greatly favor the growth, and, there
fore. the product Of the plant A
thorough knowledge. therefore. Of these
great principles which determine cli-
mate. the physical and chemical con-
stitution Of the soil, Of those physical
ana chemical conditions necessary to
supply the plant with food and to pre-.
pare that food for absorption and as
sfmilation nnd the means by which
those natpra' cer 'f'f~rs that are un-
favora BILE TO the conditions beat adapt
ed to the growth of the plants may be
n -e.~c,l and adapted to plant growth,
are absolutely necessary for the best
results in agricultural pursuits.
A knowledge Of anatomy. of struc.
ture, and physiology; or life processes,
and pathology, or disease, Of plants, Is
essential to an agricultural education.
Nv this 10 not meant q technical and
intimate knowledge of the botanist,
but q knowledge OF these general bio
logical principles which operate In
the termination OF seed. growth and
product and Of those conditions, In.
tT1nSlC ma C4NTiuBtCp WhtCu pEOHOte
the health or cause the disease of q
plant, IL essential.
There are two great factors which
determine the quantity and quality Of
the products Of agriculture. The FIRST
Is the MISUNDERSTANDING soil,
moisture, available food, etc; and the
second il the inherent constitution or
potentiality OF the plant itself In
other words. q favorable environment
and q seed of deficient inherent con-
stitution or potentiality. will not pro-
duce the best results. On the other
hand, seed possessing the maximum
inherent constitution or potentiaiity,
will not produce the best results in al
unfavorable environments. It. there.
fore, follows that the selection of seed
Is of primary Importance In agricul-
ture.
In this connection. II should be spe-
cially understood that 1t Is in the
power Of the agricuiturist to improve
the physical constitution OF plants by
proper selection. hybridasation, fertili-
zation. etc. Bailey says; 1t is the pa
| tient ana constant watching day by day
that permanently ameliorate and i'm
| prove the condition of the vegetable
| world; nature starts the work and man
may complete IT. Darwin says: The
general law Is the preservation Of the
useful differences and variations and
the destruction Of the Injurious
with q given plant naturally adapt.
/ ed to q given environment or an envi-
ronment that may be modified by art as
| 10 meet the requirements of the plant
1t is in the power OF the agriculturisi
by practicing q proper system OF Sc
| lection to greatly improve the inhe-
rent constitution OF the plant. thus
| strengthening its physiological pro-
cesses and diminishing its prcdisposi-
! tion to disease and thereby both d.
rectly and Indirectly procuring a bet
ter result. In doing this. he must take
| into consideration the physical struc.
ture Of the plant. Its size, form. SYM
| metry. ETC., as we'll as the quantity and
quality Of the fruit.
illustrates Plant Life.
To illustrate: A large. symmetri'
| cal, well-former and prolincally ker
nelled ear of corn that grew upon q
| small stalk should not be chosen In
| lieu Of an ear OF corn equally as per
feet that grew upon an equally per
| feet plant. BY selecting seed. there.
1 fore. with a proper regard for the ply
steal proportion and physiological
character Of the plant as well as OF
l the fruit, he may in time. through this
1 process Of collection, develop a plant
of much greater proportion and thai
| produces much better results than II
left to the unaided operation of ma
ture.
| by hybridization. the agriculturis
l may not only change the quantity Of
| the plant product but he may alst
1 greatly change and modify its chemi
| caS constitution. and therefore Its
/ quality. Louis de Vilmorin has saved
the beet-sugar industry by this pro
/ cess. BY an examination OF individual
| hpets thus determining the percentage
| Ct sugar in each individual. and select
ing The seed from those having thu
i greatest percentage of sugar. he hal
A by this process, prodi ced a beet sui
! ficit ntly prolific in sugar as 10 maxi
| this species of beet a source Of a larg'
part of thu sugar produced.
In ordeu to understand the art o.
| Iylr:dization a certair. knowledge o
the essentials of fruit generation Il
necessary. As an underlying princi
pie OF planting. fruit depends upon I
| fernal. element. known as the ovula
| and a male element. known as tn
4 polln. In some plants. these two ele
| merits are produced In the same flower
n others. the female element is in ont
| flower and the male element in anothe
flower on the same plant; while II
| still others all the clements on TIN
plant ere either female ar male.
knowledge OF these facts at once give
tho key to those conditions and to tn
| method necessary for the hybridiza
ton Of plant species. to illustrate
| where both elements are the sam
flower IL is necessary to emascuiat
that flower OF that part which pr
slurcs the poIin before the latter ha
iaatucd 70 prevent self fertilization
artificial fertilization being subse
quantity made by he polin OF a DIFF
f-rcm fpecies. In those plants Il
which some OF the flowers produc
sioLe tn fmaltegqw ?attgkolw ttthetv
element It Is only necessary to arti
fcfally fertiiize the female elemen
by the polin from the flower o