80 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



On September 13, 1882, I selected of the second crop of red clover, five 

 plants within ten feet of each other, which seemed to be much alike. They 

 had not been covered in any way. The seeds from fifty good heads of each 

 plant were shelled out with the following results : 1,2G0; 1,275 ; 1,4G0; 1,485 ; 

 1,820. It will be seen that fifty heads from plant number five coiitaiued 

 only about one-third more seeds than fifty lieads from plant number one. 



In another place fifty heads selected from one plant yielded 2,290 seeds, 

 nearly twice as many as plant number one in the first lot. Mr. Darwin cov- 

 ered one hundred flower heads of red clover by a net and not a single seed 

 was produced, while one hundred heads growing outside yielded by careful 

 estimate 2,720 seeds. lie says: " It is at least certain that bumble-bees are 

 the chief fertilizers of the common red clover," 



It may not be out of place to say here that experiments with white clover, 

 show that visits of honey bees increase the yield of seeds enormously. In 

 one case eight protected heads yielded five seeds, eight visited by bees yielded 

 236 seeds. This is an increase of over 47 fold in favor of the laees. 



A large number of carefully conducted experiments made by many per- 

 sons on a great variety of plants sliow results quite as remarkable as those 

 above cited. Here the bees and bumble-bees not only make use of a waste 

 product, but help the plants as well. Most botanists now believe that odor 

 and showy flowers are advertisements for attracting insects, and that nectar 

 and surplus pollen are the wages to compensate insects for services rendered 

 in fertilizing the flowers. If this be the case, should not the farmer seek to 

 encourage meadow mice which make the nest sought by bumble-bees in which 

 to rear their young ? The bumble-bees, at least, should be encouraged. 



THE SLEEP OF LEAVES. 



This can in no way be compared to the sleep of animals, but refers to the 

 fact that the leaves of clover take different positions at night from those 

 assumed during the day time. This difference in position is caused by tur- 

 gescence in the "pulvinus " which is the name applied to a mass of small 

 cells of a pale color found in a certain portion of the leaf stalk. 



Experiments show that leaves kept open or spread apart, contain more 

 dew in the morning and hence become cooler than those which appi'oach 

 each other. The leaves crowd together or "sleep" for the same purpose 

 that pigs crowd together on a cold night, viz: to keep warm. It has been 

 found that the leaves which sleep do not remain quiet during the night, but 

 continue, without exception, to move during the whole twenty-four hours. 

 All non-sleeping leaves are also in incessant motion, circuninutating. The 

 sleep of plants is a mere modified form of this universal circumnutation. 

 During a warm, dry day, leaves also assume the sleeping position which 

 aids in checking evaporation. There are more *' sleeping " plants among the 

 LegummoscB than are found in all other families put together. 



A LITTLE AGEigULTURAL CHEMISTRY. 



Of the thirteen elements necessary for plant growth, the farmer usually 

 need take but little care, excepting in the supply of potassium, phosphorous, 

 and nitrogen, and of these three nitrogen is the most precious and costly to- 

 obtain. 



All agricultural plants draw much of their food from the atmosphere, and 

 of those used by the farmer probably none are much exceeded by clover in. 



