2i THE SOILS AND CROPS OF THE. FARM.- 



good soil, but without this very small quantity the 

 grass could not have grown. 



The Structure of Plants.— Plants are made 

 up of bags or sacks called cells, usually so small as 

 to be seen only when magnified. These cells contain 

 a soft, whitish substance named protoplasm, of which 

 we know but little, but which a great scientist has 

 called "the physical basis of life." This is enclosed 

 in a "cell wall." The cells differ much in form. 

 They may be round or long, soft or hard. Tubes or 

 vessels are formed in the plant by rows of cells. 

 There are many cells in each plant of the kinds 

 grown by farmers, but there are plants each of 

 which has but one cell. 



Most plants with which farmers have to do have 

 roots, stems, leaves, and flowers, producing seeds. 



The roots of plants vary much in form. The 

 long, thick tap root of a clover plant is much unlike 

 the thread-like roots of most grasses. The ,tap root 

 has many small branches which serve important pur- 

 poses but may scarcely be noticed. The fibrous or 

 hair-like grass roots have a "body" to which they are 

 attached, but this may be so short and small as not to 

 be noticed. 



Boots of plants have four important purposes. 

 They absorb plant food from the soil. They often 

 act upon the solid matter of the soil and prepare it to 

 be absorbed. In many cases they store up nourish- 

 ment for the plant and hold it for future use. They 

 support and hold the plant in its place. 



The absorption of water and of the substances 

 dissolved and held in solution by it is one of the most 

 important purposes served by roots. All the ash in- 



