346 TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY REPoRT. 
reaches, it may be advisable, in preparing a soil for such crops, to 
plow deeper than we usually do, and thus mellow and fertilize the 
soil at the point where the roots can be more directly benefited by 
culture and fertility.” The writer states that this “is only pre- 
liminary work in what seems to be a most important and fertile 
field.” 
Observations were made on the root system of the pea, lettuce, 
endive, spinach, asparagus, onion, radish, beet, swiss chard, parsnip, 
carrot, muskmelon, cabbage, kohl rabi, and celery. These results 
show that all of the plants secure their nutriment from a much 
larger area than is generally supposed. ‘The writer says that “it is 
obvious that the effects of hill manuring must be chiefly upon the 
young plant and that where no fertilizer is applied beyond the 
limits of the hill, it seems probable that the plant receives little 
benefit from the manure at the time when it is completing its 
growth and maturing its seed.” 
The writer speculates as to the probable use of the deeply pene- 
trating roots of vegetables, particularly in the case of the pea, 
parsnip, etc. “Certainly they are not required for the purpose 
of sustaining the plant against wind. If they were in search of 
food they would hardly penetrate in this direction, for we have 
many examples in which the roots of plants have extended toward 
their food with a directness that seems almost like instinct. The 
fact that the fibrous roots are almost always most numerous in the 
upper layers of the soil would seem to indicate that a dearth of 
moisture had not existed here.” 
The root system of various other plants was examined later. 
The table below presents in a concise form the results of the in- 
vestigation: 3 | 
Greatest Maximum Horizonta 
depth. depth. et ae 
n. 
Name. In. In. 
Orchard ,Orassa. a si ens ee ere ee eres fete 30 21 at 
Lallemeadow sod otascee. 4 at ear. eres. 30 21 24. 
Kentuckyinhie: Ora sss. cm.tets eile yt) ert e aee a7 18 12 
Meadow itescueionass.:. t,t. 4. serie teieurnatias 32 12 9 
Red *topt otras ute oi ekee ce) Semmes c, See ore 40 22 9 
Meditimaredsclovert= ue ss. eee ee 34 21 12 
Meadow st0x ptatl try arent, ies orci te tee emer ieae 34 18 18 
Bokharazclovergrs makin 2. eis coe aoe ete 18 18 
Bent j grass: cca eet ray vercencts oy, Meee tees 25 20 24 
Wellow- trefoil: Ao se bens ee oe eee 20! awe. EG 
White rclover se isit ae cee etree: oar nee eee 24 15 9 
