CHAPTER VII 



THE ROOT — THE FORMS OF ROOTS 



The Root System. — The offices of the root are to hold 

 the plant in place, and to gather food. Not all the food 

 materials, however, are gathered by the roots. 



'(?'. frill ".,,tft?V 





=*.^fe ?>?&* 3^1, 



Fig. 32. — TAr-RooT 

 System of Alfalfa. 



Fig. 33. — Tap-root of the Dandelion. 



The entire mass of roots of any plant is called its root 

 system. The root system may be annual, biennial or peren- 

 nial, herbaceous or woody, deep or shallow, large or small. 



Kinds of Roots. — A strong leading central root, which 

 runs directly downwards, is a tap-root. The tap-root forms 



32 



