THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



with cereal and other crops, and that certain 

 species also extended their roots deeper into 

 the soil than any other class of crops except 

 perennial leguminous plants. 



ROOT SYSTEMS or LEGUMES. At the Kan- 

 sas Station alfalfa was the deepest-rooted crop 

 studied. The plant developed only a small 

 growth of fibrous roots near the surface, the 

 principal root development being deeper in 

 the soil. Cowpeas and soy beans appeared to 

 be light-rooting crops. At the North Dakota 

 Station the roots of red clover during two 

 years of development grew down over 4 feet, 

 and quite fully occupied the upper 3 feet of 

 soil. Crimson clover roots in a single season 

 attained a depth of 3 feet by August 22d. 



POTATO ROOT SYSTEM. Samples of an 

 early and late variety of potatoes showed that 

 the main portion of the root growth of this 

 plant is shallow. Forty-three days after 

 planting, the principal part of the root devel- 

 opment was found to lie within 8 inches- of 

 the surface of the ground. The lateral roots 



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