The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-05-19
We all know what education a

the way OF mOldlng MS character,
forming his mind and shaping his
future life. A few illustrations, 1t
seems to me, will show that similar
change may be produced in plants
themselves. In fact, a great distinc-
tion has long been recognized be-
tween wild and cultivated plants. 1t
is matter of universal experience
that under cultivation plants change
their character.
One remarkable illustration of this
fact is the sugar beet. In the wild or
uncultivated state the sugar beet is
indigenous to Southern Europe, es-
pecially along its Mediterranean
coasts. Under cultivation it has been
converted from a plant containing
only three or four per cent. of sugar
to one which contains from twelve to
sixteen per cent
This has made 1t possible to utilize
the beet for the production of sugar
to such an extent that the amount of
sugar which is now produced from
the beet is equal to that which is pro-
duced from the sugar cane.
The factors which are active in the
production of changes in plants are
soil, sunshine, rainfall, cultivation,
fertilization and selection. 1t is
through the scientific use of these
factors that man produces the modi-
fications he desires upon plants,
whether they be for the production
of foods or drugs. In regard to the
matter of drugs, it is interesting to
know that comparatively little has
been accomplished in the way of
modifying the medicinal properties of
plants by use of the factors above
mentioned. Nearly all our medicinal
drugs of vegetable origin are derived
from the wild or practically wild
plant. 1t has only been of late years
that the possibility of improving the
medicinal composition of plants by
human agencies has been realized.
A drug of very high potency, which
possesses violently poisonous proper
ties in fact, is hydrocyanic or prussic
acid. This acid naturally exists in
many plants, notably in the kernels
of peaches, apricots and fruits of that
description, and in the root of the
plant known as the cassava. Cassava
is a source of large quantities of
starch, and especially of that food
product which is so highly priced,
known as tapioca.
1t is important that the plants Sc
lected for the manufacture of tapioca
be free from hydrocyanic acid, or as
nearly so as possible. 1t has been
observed that by pushing the cultiva-
tion of the cassava plant northward
just as far as 1t can grow and have
a sufficiently long summer to produce
maturity, tle quantity of hydrocyanic
acid is diminished.
Within the past two or three years
systematic investigations have been
made toward the selection of cassava
acid for the purpose of planting, and
securing by selection plants contain
ing less quantities of this undesirable
medicinal substance. Extensive eX-
periments looking to this end have
been made in Southern Mississippi
and in Florida.
Heredity i'm Plants.
1t Is a we'll known principle that
qualities in plants, as in animals. are
largely hereditary. This is the key
note of what is known as selection
in the improvement of plants. BY
chemical analysis those plants are Sc
lected which have the largest quanti-
ties of the desirable constituents or
the smallest quantities of undesirable
constituents, and these plants are
used for the propagation of others.
One of the earliest and most extensive
experiments of this kind was con-
Quoted under my supervision, in col
laboration with the late Mr.. A. A.
Denton, in the improvement of the
sorghum plant.
A series of experiments was con-
Quoted extending over eight years,
Will luc loSd VI lhCl Sdoihso thC SOh
tent of sugar in sorghum for the pur-
pose of securing plant which would
be suitable for the manufacture of
sugar. In this experimental work
there was selected by analysis the
best typical cane, that is, the cane
containing the largest quantities of
sugar, and by comparison, the small
est quantities of undesirable qualities,
and the seeds of this cane were used
for the work.
In regard to plants which produce
drugs, it has been noticed that when
they are brought from their native
environment and planted in green
houses, the quantity of the drug
which they produce is usually dimin-
ished. The cinchona tree in captivity
does not by any means produce the
quantity of quinine which Is found in
it in its native forests. On the other
hand, other constituents of plants
whether desirable or undesirable, may
be increased in quantity under such
conditions.
The improvement of plants Of all
kinds by the means which are in the
hands of the scientific worker has
| become a very important part of agri