The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-13

IS roof, holding the desired plants, to
! such a place as desired for study.
Care is taken to dig the surrounding
trench deep enough in the beginning
to avoid the possibility of the roots
being still connected with the each
below.
The root experimenters have met
considerable difficulties. For one
thing the fine thread-like portions of
the roots are destroyed at their extre-
mites by the warm water washing.
| The threads; however, at the points
where they ended, have zen analyz-
ed, and it has been found that even
! at THIS early stage Of the progress of
he nourlshment upward, the great
chemical work, the taking from the
soil of lime, sodium, nitrogen and the
hike had been completed by the tiny
1llamcnt. Somewhere, Il little furth-
er on III the soil which had been wash
ed away, the work had been going on.
1t IS the understanding of this process
which is now desired, and which is
still apparently as far off as ever.
Nevertheless, some valuable results
have already been attained. Natural
~, the investigations so far have con-
cerned the plants most valuable to
man-wheat and corn, potatoes, beans
and the like.
'Roots' observed one of the bu
reau's investigators, "seem to possess
actual sentence in regard to their
search for water One of the inter
esting and valuable results of this in
Vestlgation is that now science can de-
termine which of the plants are deep
feeding, and hence which are most
suitable to dry, insufIicicntly watercd
SOILS. For instance, a species Of wheat
which had the power to dig down six
feet in its search for food and mois
ture, would be better adapted to the
dry regions Of the west than one that
could dig but four. There are certain
species of wheat which do splendidly
IN naturally soft, sandy soils, but
whose roots are too weak to die
through heavy soils. This cannot be
determined by simply pulling up
stalk. 1t requires such an investiga-
tion as this which the government
has maugurated.
"Another thing which has been
proven by the investigation Of root
development is why land laid down to
grass is made better. 1t has long been
known that when the wild prairie is
first broken the soil is mellow, moist
and rich, producing abundant crops.
After Il few years Of continuous culti-
vation the physical condition of the
soil changes. She soil grains become
fiber, which IS bad; the soil becomes
more compact and heavier to handle;
it dries ont quicker than it used to;
it balks worse and often turns over
in hard clods when ploughed. This
compact texture makes it difficult for
the young roots of plants to develop
properly. 1t also causes an INSULT
cient supply of air in the soil and
makes it sticky when wet, dusty when
dry, so that when looscned by the
plough it is easily blown away. This
is because it lacks roots of the right
sort-stout, hardy, deep rcachin"
roots.
"a little table of soil conditions is
being prepared for regions in which
these root Investigations will prove
of especial value-which will prove
interesting and suggestive seeing that
it may be modified to suit almost any
region. 1t contains the fact that an
acre OF soil to the depth Of one foot
is estimated to weigh 3,22300 pounds
and then tabulates the facts, namely,
that within the first foot of soil there
is found: 6,722 pounds Of phosphoric
acid, 32S97 pounds of potash, 47,407
pounds of lime. Thus within the reach
OF nearly every plant is found four
times this sum per acre, for nearly all
plants reach four feet downward with
their roots.
g 1t IS figured out that this means
enough phosphoric acid to supply the
wants Of l,400 annual wheat crops
and of the other constituents even
more. The relation of this to the root
Investigations lies in the fact that no
roof should be deprived for lack of
ample plou"hin% of free search among
these chemicals for what it nccds.n