76 



VARIOUS FOOD l^LANTS 





Fig. so, I. — Pumpldn {Cucurbita Pcpo. Gourd P'aniily, Cucnrhitacrw). 

 Flowering })ranch. (Baillon.) — The plant is an annual climbing more 

 or less hy means of tendrils, and attainin^^ a length of 7 ni.; stem 

 and leaves bright green, bristly hairy; flowers yellow; fruit variousb^ 

 colored in different varieties, and widely different in appearance as 

 shown in Figs. 81, I-IV. 



controls the making of carbohydrates, although neither the 

 iron nor the potassium enter into tlie product. Much of the 

 process of food-mal-cing as well as of the conditions under 

 which it takes place, is as yet imperfectly understood by 

 physiologists. 



A living plant has lieen well compared to a food-factory 

 where wc may see the raw materials which go in and the 

 products which come out, but where we can only guess as to 

 what goes on inside, for on the door is written "No ad- 

 mittance." We know that in some way the body of a plant 

 is built up of highly complex materials which it makes by 

 recombining the (dements of relatively simple substances. 

 We know also tliat so long as it lives the plant is breaking 

 down the complex compounds into simpler un(>s whicli it gets 



