PART III 

 CROPS 



CHAPTER XI 



THE NATURE AND WOBK OF PLANTS 



Plants exercise two sets of functions , growth and reproduction. 

 The higher plants may be said to have three sets or classes of organs : 

 those that have relation with the soil ; those that Jiave relation with 

 the atmosphere and sunlight ; those that are concerned with repro- 

 duction. BAILKY. 



101. Why should farmers be acquainted with plants? It is 

 not possible to grow plants successfully unless we know 

 something about their character and habits. It is true 

 that one may obtain fair results by rule-of-thurab meth- 

 ods when working under the directions of other people ; 

 but the highest rewards come to those who know why 

 they do things. We have already studied about cer- 

 tain foods which plants must have. Every one knows 

 that plants must have water. But why do they need it ? 

 What purpose does it serve in crop growth ? Why must 

 we supply the other special needs of plants? The man 

 who knows these why's not only supplies the needs more 

 intelligently, but also finds greater joy in doing so. 



So even the average farmer is better off for knowing a 

 little about cells and protoplasm. It will not do to say 

 that such subjects belong only to the scientists. 



Many common activities of plants cannot be understood 

 without this knowledge. Perhaps a boy has learned how 



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