CHAPTER VII 



HOW PLANT FOOD IS PRESERVED 



If you think Nature is not careful of her securities, or 

 that she is not mindful of the many deeds of trust she 

 holds, or if you think her gifts to man a sort of "hit or 

 miss" donation, you will quickly change this view when 



you begin a study of the 

 way she has taken care of 

 her soil possessions. For 

 this is true : not for a gen- 

 eration, nor for a century, 

 not even for the reign of a 

 nation, but Nature must 

 provide for centuries and 

 centuries, for millions and 

 millions of years, that all 

 the people may have food 

 and raiment and a thou- 

 sand comforts as well. 



The plant the medium. 

 Nature makes the plant 

 the medium through 

 which this work is to be 

 done. By sending roots in- 

 to the soil and leaves into 

 the air, elemental sub- 

 stances are brought together, arranged and formed into 

 organized things, into plant tissues. Of course the sun, 

 with its heat and light, is the great energizing power 

 behind this throne of effort, but the plant is the 



THE COTTON PLANT ABOVE AND 

 BELOW THE GROUND 



Both leaves and roots are at work 

 gathering food for growth 



