HOW PLANTS ARE PROPAGATED 97 



water at this time makes leaves rather than fruit, and 

 what fruit is made is without flavor. Trees are some- 

 times treated to prevent too much water reaching the 

 fruit ; the branches are cut or bent ; the roots may be 

 laid bare or pruned. If not carried too far, this makes 

 more fruit and improves the quality. 



Heat and dry ness improve the flavor of fruit. Fruit 

 grown in the mountains is therefore better as a rule 

 than that grown in the valleys. 



Ripening of fruit and seed. Many plants give up 

 all the food they contain for the growth of the seeds 

 and fruit, and die as soon as the seed is ripe. The 

 stalks of grasses (hay) are sweet and full of food before 

 the seed sets, but later give up their food to the seed 

 and become tasteless. If they are cut before the seed 

 is fully ripe, the seed goes on taking up food from the 

 stalk, and ripens just as well. Grain cut in this way 

 is not so apt to shed its seeds when it is carried about. 

 But if it is " headed," the seeds should be allowed to 

 ripen before it is cut. 



During the ripening of the seed and fruit the food 

 substances are changed. The sour or bitter taste of 

 young fruit changes to a sweet, pleasant one, and the 

 substances are formed which make the juice of the ripe 

 fruit " jell " so easily. At the same time they become 

 bright colored. 



Does the change in color depend on the light? Pin 

 a square or a letter cut out of tin foil or cork to an 



