The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-03-10

In the growth Of all plants thaA
form farm crops there seem 20 be two
processes that govern the Increase
and the understanding Of the prin
clplee q these viii. | think. help any
farmer and every farmer % form 70
lations for himself that viii be eK
eeedingiy valuable phIlat without an
understanding Of these principles he
will be always cropping In the dark AZ
ter the best methocs, Eayg Prof. J. J.
Robertson Of Canada In the growth
Of plants one set Of conditions mako
for increase Ia the sire Of the roota
and ths stems and the leaves. These
are the vegetative part-the part Of q
plant that periEhes utterly when the
plant dies. There Is another part Of
the plant that does not psrish when
the growth ends. viz, the seed that
carries the life over 70 the next crop.
The conditions which make for the
enlargement Of the roots and the
stems and the leaves. do not make for
increased production Of seeds. That
Is to say. the conditions most favor
able TO the vegetable processes o &e
plant are no favorable 70 the metur-
ing processes. but are almost the oppo-
site. II you viii allow me a parenthe-
sis: The understanding OF that prin-
clple. with the selection Of seeds, viii
do mere 70 improve farming than any
thing else know OF In regard 70 agri-
culture. The set Of conditions favor
able for continued increase in size OF
roo and size Of stem and size OF leaf
do 0 make for increase in the guam
tity OF seeds. but rather for the oppo-
site. The extension Of the vegetatiye
stages OF development-the formation
Of roots, stems and leayes-is a. the
expense OF the development Of the
productive parts-the seeds. Take the
instance Of a bunch Of oats growing In
a dung hill; what happens2 A very
large root. q grossly large stem. broad
long leaves and very. very. very few
seeds in the head. That Il to say, the
conditions that make for the con
unueG enlargement OF the root the
Increase OF the stem. and extension OF
the leaf do bot make for an increase
in number and weight Of the seeds
That Is an extreme case, but Il re-
Veals a principle. Now. take another
set Of extreme conditions, where 3
plant can grow only with dinncuity.
either in GOT or stem or leaf. Look
on a bare roadside, where a small
grass plant tries 10 form seeds when
only three or four inches high; then
count the percentage Of weight Of the
whole plant made up Of the sseds; and
you have a revelation On the other
side. The conditions that make Il diff
hcuit for = plant 10 grow a larger root
and a larger stem and larger leaves
after the time OF rlPsning has Gene.
make for the increase OF the number
Of seeds and the increase Of the pro
portion OF weight they bear 10 that Of
the whole plant OF course, the con.
ditions that make for the increase OF
size Of rect and sire OF stalk and siEa
OF leaf up 70 a certain point also make
for the increase Of seeds because the
seeds are formed out OF what the
plant takes in, through lts leaves and
roots. But when there is an excess Of
available plant food In the soil. only
late in the growing and maturing pc.
Rod o. tho plant that may prevent
seeds from forming plentifully and
ripenine thoroughly. That is what
happens frequently when farmyard
anu IS ploughed in. in the spring.
for a grain crop.