22 experiment station record. 



considered and then the abnormalities which are brought about by such horticul- 

 tural practices as grafting. 



By functional capacity is meant the processes involved in the absorption and util- 

 ization by the plant of crude materials. If the functional capacity of absorption or 

 the total absorption from external surroundings be represented by ca, and the func- 

 tional capacity of consumption or the total consumption at the points where the sap 

 is used up be represented by cv, then in a plant which is in complete equilibrium as 



regards its general nutrition we have cv=ca and— =1. If, however, aerial con- 



& e ca 



sumption is greater than the usual subterranean absorption, then we have the for- 

 mula— > 1. This corresponds to growth in a dry or poor soil. When absorption 



is greater than consumption, corresponding to growth m moist or rich soils, the 



formula Incomes — -< 1. 

 ca 



Conditions similar to these are sometimes brought about by grafting. The cica- 

 trization of the grafted plants and the intercalated tissue between stock and scion 

 interfere with the conduction of sap, modifying it both in quantity and quality. 

 These modifications of the scion are equivalent to growth in a drier, poorer medium 

 than the normal. In grafting it is also necessary to keep in mind the relative func- 

 tional capacities of the two grafted plants. For if, for example, the functional capac- 

 ity of consumption is greater in the scion plant than in the stock plant this condi- 

 tion becomes exaggerated by the scar of cicatrization when the two plants are 

 grafted, and the graft either fails to take or makes a poor growth, corresponding to 

 that in the poor, dry soil. The chance for making a successful graft in such a case is 

 increased if the development of adventitious roots from the scion is encouraged, so 

 that assimilation may correspond more closely to a normal absorption of the scion. 

 Again, the same scion may be inserted on 2 stocks or additional attention given 

 to manuring and watering the stock plant. 



The discussion is accompanied by numerous drawings, showing the modification 

 of the wood and the character of scars caused by grafting together plants of different 

 functional capacities. The papers have been published in book form under the title 

 La Theorie des Capacites Fonctionnelles et ses Consequences en Agriculture. Rennes, 

 France: Fr. Simon, 1902. 



The influence of climate and soil on the transmitting power of seeds, W. W. 

 Tracy (Science, n. ser., 19 (1904), No. 4SS, pp. 7SS-740). — An account is given of the 

 practices followed by seedsmen with relation to the influence of soil and climate on 

 the transmitting power of seeds. These practices are the results of long-continued 

 experience rather than the result of scientific study. 



In regard to leguminous plants, such as peas and beans, the author reports that 

 on very rich soils or those which have been recently fertilized, a greater deviation 

 from type will be noted than when the plants are developed on poor soils. A stock 

 grown on a white-clay soil will ripen uniformly, while if planted on a rich mucky 

 soil it will develop a large proportion of plants which are departures from the type. 

 If seed of plants that have departed from the type are planted in soils favorable for 

 the development of the true type they will produce nearly as great a proportion of 

 typical plants as those grown from the seed produced from plants that did not show 

 any departure. 



In the case of garden beans there is apparently a tendency to produce thick fleshy 

 pods, slow to mature, when grown on rich moist soils, while on warm, sandy soil the 

 pods are less fleshy and quicker matured. These characteristics seem to be carried 

 by the seed and are cumulative in character. So far as the author's observations go 

 there does not seem to be any influence of climate shown by the seed of leguminous 

 plants. 



