The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1922-02-23
BY RosERT Il. MoULToN


M they have disproved has to
do with the effect OF cold up
:" ON plant life In our northern
states. While we have al
ways believed that Jack Frost was the
arch enemy Of plant life, and that IL 1t
were not for him we would have flow
ers and fruits and grass perhaps all
the year round, the scientists now tell
us that Jack. Is IN the malu beneh-
cent old fellow.
They admit that IL lie comes too
early or stays too late, his visit is like
~ to prove embarrassing. Yet IL he did
not come at all, which means IL we did
not have any cold weather, the ma
jority Of plants In our northern lati-
tudes would show. slow growth IN the
spring. 1t is hard to believe that the
effect OF cold is to stimulate rather
than retard plant growth, but that is
what we are now informed actually
happens. Experts OF the Department
OF Agriculture are responsible for this
Revolutionary theory. They back up
the theory with the results OF numer-
Gus experiments, however, and results
are what count.
One fact stands clear In these ex-
periments-the dormant condition of
certain plants In winter is not the re-
suit OF cold and freezing; moreover,
cold stimulates the revival Of life In
the plant when spring comes. Such
IN explanation OF the effect Of cold is
new to. the everyday reader, who Is
used to looking upon winter air as det-
rlmental to plant life, forcing the
shrub into n dormant state scarcely
better than death. But healthy, husky
hlueberrles which we're In govern
ment greenhouse ''went to sleep" just
the same, despite the fact that the air
was kept Mt growing temperature.
The shrubs. il is true, did not go to
bed SO early as they did when Jack
Frost used to hurry them OF. and in
the warm greenhouse the plants went
into a dormant condition exactly like
that OF others outsideetn the cold and
snow. Moreover. they were late In
waking when spring came. Some. in
deed. slept through the whole year.
The Inference Is that the plants pc
Rod Of dormancy Is a seasonal matter
not induced by the cold, but that the
early and luxuriant growth cannot Oc-
cur unless the plant has been through
a period OF chill temperature.
Two interesting experiments were
conducted with blueberry plants rs
proof Of this. In the middle Of Feb
ruary burberry plant which had
shed It's leaves and become dormant
Ia q warm greenhouse maintained at a
temperature Of 20 degrees was repot-
| ted and set in the south end OF the
| greenhouse. A small opening was
made In the glass, and through this
opening one Of the two stems Of the
plant was thrust, the open space about
the stem where II passed through the
glass being carefully plugged. During
the rest OF the winter the plant re
smalned in the same position. the pot
and one stem continuing IN the warm
temperature OF the greenhouse. while
the other stem, projecting through the
glass, Eas exposed to the rlgors Of
wint4. with It's alternate, freezing and
| tiiawlng. About the middle Of April
the outdoor branch started into nor
NAL growth, while the indoor branch
continued dormant.
A Modification OF this experiment
was conducted at the same time with
another plant In this case the plant