166 
weather, the results appeared injurious to growth. The sub- 
ject is one of importance, as it lies at the basis of culture in 
in our hoed crops. We know that a thorough preparation 
of the soil before planting, and a pulverized surface during 
the growing season are beneficial. The effects of lacerat- 
ing the roots in the soil during the growth of the plants are 
not however so well understood as they should be. It is 
hoped that the experiments the coming season may give 
more light upon this question. 
HOW FAR DOES SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THE SOIL AFFECT THE 
DISTRIBUTION OF ROOTS 2 
Asa partial reply to this question, the results of three 
experiments are noted. 
Ist. The popular opinion that mulching the surface tends 
to bring the roots upward was found to be correct so far as 
the fibrous roots are concerned. That is to say, the propor- 
tion of fibrous roots in the first two inches of soil was un- 
questionably greater in the plants examined in mulched 
than unmulched rows. No other difference in the root 
growth was discernible. The observation was limited to 
the beet and carrot, the varieties of the former being Phil- 
adelphia Karly Turnip and Early Blood Red, and of the 
latter Blunt Rooted Karly Scarlet Horn. The seeds were 
planted April 20, and the mulching, which was of straw, was 
applied June 22 to the depth of two inches. 
2nd. Three small experiment plats were planted with 
potatoes. In the first, the tubers were covered with three 
inches of sand, in the second with the same depth of com- 
mon garden soil, and the third with the same depth of a 
mixture of sand and soil. Some difference was observable 
in the root growth. In the plat covered with the sand, the 
roots almost all grew out above the tuber-bearing stems, 
while in the other two plats they grew out at the same 
nodes with them. The roots were also larger in size, but 
branched less in the plat covered with the sand than in the 
others. The root growth in the plat covered with a mixture 
of sand and soil differed from the others in the direction of 
its leading shoots. In this plat the main roots, instead of 
running horizontally as in the other plats, grew downward 
at an angle of nearly forty-five degrees, and the branches 
almost all tended downward. The fibres reached nearest 
the surface in the plat covered with soil; but the main 
roots were rather more shallow in the one covered with 
sand. 
