THE FEEDING OF CROPS 

 AND STOCK 



CHAPTER I 



WHAT THE PLANT IS MADE OF 



Elements present in the Plant. The Chief Compounds forming 

 Plant Tissues— Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, ^-Proteins, and 

 Ash. The Growth of a Plant from a Seed ; the Embryo and 

 the Food Store. Conditions necessary for Germination — 

 Water, Warmth, Air. How Materials are moved to the 

 Growing Parts of a Plant. Seed Testing. 



Before we can obtain any idea of how a plant feeds 

 and grows, it is necessary to find out to some extent of 

 what it is composed, and for this purpose a few simple 

 experiments must be made. Let us begin by taking 

 some green leaves of any plant, a carrot or a potato to 

 represent a root, and some wheat or maize as examples of 

 seeds ; weigh out portions of each in basins of porcelain, 

 nickel, or (best) of platinum, and then put them on a 

 sand bath or over a low flame with glass plates covering 

 the tops of the basins. In a very few moments the 

 glass plates will be dimmed over and water will begin 

 to collect in drops, water that has been driven out of 

 the plant material by the heat. As soon as you have 

 satisfied yourself that the plant stuff is losing water^ 

 remove the glass coverings and put the basins in the 

 oven to dry completely, a process which will require a 

 day or so. On reweighing the dishes it will be found 

 ^ A 



