The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-04-04
ny ISAAC L. TOTEM.

 lu0 way III WHICH IhE SiOp sIoHs,
and the condition of the fruit Or seed
lit produces, is good indication of the
plant food elements that are either
lacking or present in the soil.
Extreme dry or wet weather of
course affect the growth of the crop
considerably, likewise the worms and
insect pests sometimes do great harm.
and this has very noticeable effect
upon the growth of the plants and up
on the seed they produce or fail to
produce
The seed as we'll as Cultural meth
DDS. as we all know, has much to do
toward making a good or poor crop.
j But under favorable conditions Of
4 the elements, ct cetera, there should
q be good crop if the soil Is abundant
ly supplied with the available plant
food which the plants must have to
? build their various tissues.
Although the crops themselves give
valuable suggestions as to the plant
food constituents the soil lacks, there
lis no reliable way ofsknowing except
d through experiment.
AS a rule, however, when nitrogen
Z Il
Ia pale green color in the plants and
by small growth of the stalks or
leaves.
Nitrogen deepens the color of the
foliage which shows that it increases
the plants vegetative activity and
health.
There are two other marked effects
(which nitrogen has upon the growth
of plants.
One of them is that it retardss the
igrowth of the buds and flowers While
lit greatly promotes the growth of the
istems and leaves. Most plants, as We
a ches and foliage at a certain period
-tof growth. or to increase those already
-tformed, and commence to produce
FLOWERS and fruit or vegetables or
Tgrain. Should the plants be provided
hwith as much available nitrogen as
rift can use just at that time the for
tmation of flowers and fruit may be
schecked, and activity renewed in the
stems and leaves. This, of course, is at
ftthe expense of the crop; because if
bseed IL produced under such circun-
distances, it is often sterile and in most
d1nstances of this kind there is no seed
tiproduced whatever.
o The other effect of nitrogen on the
amarked degree the relative proportion
of nitrogen in the plant
The valuable suggestion then,
(which the crop gives lis relative to nj
Tttrogen is that if the plants are of
Upright deep green in color and that if
s'they have vigorous growth of stalk
or leaf they do not lack nitrogen.
, However, this would not Indicate that
more nitrogen could not be applied to
y advantage.
IA An excessive growth Of leaf or stalk
accompanied by an imperfect bud,
sfloWer or fruit development, indicates
] too much nitrogen for the potash and
4phosphoric acid present.
y When such crops as corn, cabbage,
grass, potatoes, ct cetera, have a luxu-
J RANT healthful growth, an abundance
of potash in the soil is indicated also
i when fleshly fruits of fine flavor and
atexture can be successfully grown"
4, That is the way the experts put it.
Al ION the contrary, when these plants
fail of luxuriant growth or are very
elbow grade in quality, it is a certain in
4 dication that potash is lacking"
I'd Potash, so experimenting and analy-
airing has proven, is ESSENTIAL to the for
nation and transference of starch i'm
plants. Starch is known to be formed
in the leaves of plants, after which.
Tdn some way, it becomes soluble en-
G.,.r y, vii ,Jo ~
silt to pass through the cell walls grad
VHally and later to be carried into the
Iifruit, where it accumulates and chan
ges back to its insoluble form. 1t is
DWELL established fact that potash is
intimately connected with the forma-
Ition of starch in the leaves and with
!. its transference to the fruit. No other
y element can take the place of potash
in performing this work. Potash Is
Important on account of its influence
aMpon the development of the woody
parts Of the stems and fleshy portion
of the fruit.
When the crop grows rank and
keeps on growing, but does not ma
lure and produce grain, it lacks phos-
y chorus.
.. Phosphorus is the element which
i-inakes things mature and so to seed
which makes the ears of corn and
IIneads of wheat fill with plump ripe
,okernels.
~ Therefore. when soil produces good, |
early maturing crops of grain, with |
plump and heavy kernels, phosphoric |
acid will not generally be found defci- |
ent in the soil.
The following is what one authority |
!. says of phosphoric acid:
Experiments have shown that |
plants will die before reaching matu- |
rity, unless they have phosphoric acid |
to feed upon. Phosphates appear to |
perform three different functions in !
plants.
First: They aid in the nutrition OF
the plant by furnishing the needed
quantities of phosphoric acid.
Second: They aid the plant, in |
some way not well understood, to |
make use of or assimilate the ingredi- |
autS phcSnhafaS arc fonnd in tba