THE WORK OF ROOTS 83 



vation while the plant is young, and shallow cultivation 

 later, or shall we follow just the opposite plan? " But," 

 you say, " how can we study the root systems of plants 

 when they are out of sight beneath the ground? " Let 

 us try to do it. 



EXERCISE 27 



Object. — To study the root systems of the com and 

 bean. 



Procedure. — Plant in a wire basket several kernels of 

 com, and in another basket several beans. These baskets 

 should be at least six inches square, have the same depth, 

 and be made of very fine woven wire. Wrap a piece 

 of cheesecloth very carefully about each one to prevent 

 the dirt from sifting through the sides and bottoms, and 

 fill them with fine garden soil. 



When the seeds have sprouted well, remove all but 

 one of the strongest. When the corn plant is six or eight 

 inches high, remove the cheesecloth from this basket, and 

 also from the one containing the bean and thrust pieces of 

 rather fine wire through the sides of the basket and through 

 the soil. These wires will hold the roots in their natural 

 position when the soil is washed away. Now place each 

 basket in a pan or bucket of water and move it slowly 

 back and forth until all the soil falls away, leaving the 

 roots exposed. 



If you have larger baskets, the roots may of course be 

 studied when the plants are older. 



Conclusion. — You will find that the long, or temporary 

 root of the com plant has withered or is withering away, 

 and in its stead, quite close to the base of the stem, a mass 

 of fine fibrous roots is developing. This mass of fibrous 

 roots is formed in all the cereals just beneath the surface 

 of the ground regardless of the depth at which the seed is 

 planted. 



