Tlie Western Pomologist and Gardener. '1872 



Growtb of a Seed. 



We noticed among the horticultural queries last week one regarding the germination o^ 

 the acorn. We apprehend the principle of growth in all seeds is the same when thev are 

 made up of two cotylidons, as familiarly exemplified in the split pea. It matters not in 

 what position the seedjs placed in the ground ; the result, when germination takes place, 

 ■will be the same. Very soon after a seed is planted in the earth, if the conditions of mois- 

 ture and warmth are favorable, it begins to, in ordinary language, " sprout." A shoot is 

 pushed upwards and another thrust downwards; but let it be clearly borne in mind, that 

 until the leaf expands, and the young root enters the soil, the plant derives nothing from 

 the earth and air except water. It lives wholly and solely upon the starch and gluten 

 contained in the seed. But the most curious part of this transformation scene is observa- 

 ble in the almost magical change these two materials undergo. Both are insoluble in 

 water, so it is impossible they can be taken up and conveyed along the vessels of the 

 young plant they are intended to nurture unless chemically changed. This change is thus 

 accomplished. Directly the ascending and descending sprouts appear, there is found at 

 the base of the germ a minute quantity of a white and very soluble substance, which has 

 been named diiistaie. This remarkable material at once acts upon the starch, renders it 

 soluble in the sap, which takes it away just as it may be wanted tj supply the two sprouts. 

 Starch thus changed is called dextrine, and this is still further changed into sugar as the 

 sap ascends. By the time the food stored up in the seed is thus conveyed away in its 

 changed condition, the two leaves have opened, the root has made its way into the soil> 

 and the tiny plant begins life on its own account. In the ripening of an ear of grain a 

 converse system of changes takes place. The green grain of wheat is sweet to the palate, 

 but as it browns and ripens its sweetness entirely goes away. In this case the sugar of the 

 green grain has been changed into starch in the ripe grain, which starch so stored up, is 

 again, whenever that grain germinates, destined to be rechanged into sugar for the supply 

 of the embryo plant, until by aid of root and leaves, it can take care of itself. We scarcely 

 think the acorn is appreciated as it ought to be. It is extremely nutritious, and contains 

 seven per cent of sugar, and weight for weight is nearly as nutritious as the ordinary 

 horsebean. — Land and WaPr. 



Tree flantlng—Depth. Soil, etc. 



Bt Peteu M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minn. 



Ed. Pomologist and Gardener : — As the planting season is just at hand, perhaps a 

 few remarks on tree planting would not be amiss, as I have had quite an experience in 

 that line, having planted trees in nearly nil soils and exposures. 



In stiif clay soils I find trees to do well at about the same depth they grew in nursery 

 rows ; but where a loose loam overlays the clay the trees should be set deeper, and that in . 

 proportion to the depth of the loam, so as to make sure that the lower roots dip into the 



clay. 



Our top soil is a deep, rich loam, in which we have lost thousands of trees, as later 

 experience has taught us, all for not being deeper set, or heavily mulched. For mulching 

 ■will save them, though only set in the loam, and is very essential at any depth of plant- 

 ing, but indispensible in an orchard set in loam and at the common^depth of planting. 

 Trees set in loam will suffer more from drouth or frost, than those set in clay at same 

 depth of planting; but where th^re is from six to twelve inches of top loam, and the tree 

 is set so as to get the roots well into the clay, it will stand more drouth or frost without 

 mulching than one in clay, the top soil serving to some extent as a mulch. But be the 

 soil and depth of planting what they may, mulching is beneficial in all cases, saving the 

 tree from bark bursting, as well as the roots from drought and frost. And in all cases the 

 mulching should be applied before the first freeze in fall, as it is the first freeze that does 

 the damage of bark bursting and root killing. Though further south such damage might 

 occur after warm spells in winter that had caused the sap to start, as it is a sudden, severe 

 freeze when there is sap flowing that bark-bursts and root-kills, which mulching would 

 save in any country, by preventing the freezing of the ground, in junction with the tree, 

 and thus allowing the descent of sap. 



