CHAPTER THREE 



HOW PLANTS LIVE 



One who raises plants gets pleasure out of his craft in 

 proportion as he knows what they are doing in root and 

 branch or in flower and fruit, at every turn of the season. 



JAMES G. NEEDHAM 



A PLANT has its needs, such as food, water, air, sun- 

 light, and protection from its enemies ; and if these 

 needs are not supplied, it will grow poorly or may even 

 die. If a garden plant stands in poor soil, or is much 

 shaded, it grows only slowly. If it remains wilted con- 

 tinuously for several days and nights because of lack of 

 water, it is almost sure to die. And when plants are not 

 protected against insects and disease, many of them are 

 injured or destroyed. Like the gardener himself, the 

 cabbages, beets, carrots, and other plants which he 

 grows are alive, and to be healthy and vigorous, they 

 must have the things that they need for living and 

 growing. 



The work of the gardener. The task of the gardener 

 is to supply the needs of his plants to give them the 

 best possible conditions for growth. The gardener, 

 therefore, enriches the soil so that it will supply an 

 abundance of food materials. He cultivates among his 

 plants so that the water will be retained in the soil. He 

 thins the seedlings in the rows and destroys the weeds, 

 so that each plant will be able to secure sufficient food 

 materials, water, light, and space to develop fully. If 

 necessary, he also sprays his plants to protect them 

 from insects and disease. And he does all this work in 

 order to give his plants better conditions for life and 

 growth. 



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