How crops grow. A treatise of the chemical composition, structure, and life of the plant, for all students of agriculture ...

Front matter

I LI BRARY gF CO NGRESS,

{UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

HOW CROPS GROW.

Chap. I.— The Volatile Part of Plants 28

§ 1. Distinctions and Definitions 28

§ 2. Elements of the Volatile Part of Plants 31

Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Sulphur, Phosphorus, Ultimate Composition of Oi-ganic Matter 45

§ 3. Chemical Affinity 46

§ 4. Vegetable Organic Compounds or Proximate Elements 52

2. Cellulose Group 55

4. Vegetable Acids 85

6. Fats 89

6. Albuminoids 94

Appendix, Chlorophyll, etc 109

Chap, n.— The Ash of Plants Ill

§ 1. Ingredients of the Ash Ill

Non-metallic Elements 112

Carbon and its Compounds 113

Sulphur " " " 114

Silicon " " " 119

Metallic Elements 123

Potassium and its Compounds 124

Sodium " " " 124

Calcium " " " 125

Magnesium and its Compounds 126

Manganese " " " 128

Salts 129

Carbonates 130

Sulphates 132

Phosphates laS

Chlorides 135

Nitrates 136

§ 2. Quantity, Distribution, and Variations of the Ash 138

Table of Proportions of Ash in Vegetable Matter 139

§ 3. Special Composition of the Ash of Agricultural Plants 147

1. Constant Ingredients .148

2. Uniform composition of normal specim's of given plant.148 Table of Ash-analyses 150

3. Composition of Diflerent parts of Plant 157

4. Like composition of similar plants 159

5. Variability of ash of same ^ecies 160

0. What is normal composition of the ash of a plant ? 163

7. To what extent is each ash-ingredient essential or acci-

dental 166

Water-culture 167

Essential ash-ingredients 172

Is Soda Essential to Agricultural Plants ? 172

Oxide of Iron indispensable 178

Oxide of Manganese unessential 179

Is chlorine indispensable ? 180

Silica is not essential 183

Ash-ingredients taken up in excess 187

Disposition of superfluous matters 189

State of Ash-ingredients in plant 193

§ 4. Functions of the Ash-ingredients 196

Chap, m.— § 1. Quantitative Relations among the Ingredients of Plants 201

§ 2. Composition of the plant in successive stages of growth 203

Composition and Growth of the Oat Plant 2U4

DIVISION II.— THE STRUCTURE OF THE PLANT AND OFFICES OF ITS ORGANS.

Chap. I.— Generalities 220

Organism, Organs 221

TABLE OF CONTENTS. IX

Chap, n.— Pkimart Elements or Okganic Steucttjee 222

§ 1. The Vegetable Cell 222

I 2. Vegetable Tissues 232

Chap, m.— Vegetative Organs 2a4:

§1. The Root 234

Spongioles. Root Cap 235

Offices of Root 238

Delicacy of Structure 239

Apparent Search for Food 241

Root-hairs. 243

Contact of Roots with Soil 245

Absorption by Root 248

Soil Roots, Water Roots, Air Roots 252

Excretions 258

§ 2. The Stem 260

Buds 261

Layers, Tillering 264

Root-Stocks 265

Tubers 266

Structure of the Stem 26t

Endogenous Plants 268

Exogenous " 273

Sieve-cells 280

Leaf Pores 285

Exhalation of Water Vapor 287

Offices of Foliage. . . , 290

Chap. IV.— Reproductive Organs 291

§1. The Flower 291

Fertilization 294

Hybridizing 295

Darwin's Hypothesis 298

Seed 302

Endosperm 302

Embryo 302

• § 3. Vitalitv of seeds and their influence on the Plants they produce.305

Duration of Vitality. 305

Use of old. unripe and light seeds 307

Church's Experiments on Seed Wheat 308

DIVISION in.-LIFE OF THE PLANT.

Chap. I.— Germination 310

' § 1. Introductorj' 310

§ 2. Phenomena of Germination 311

§ 3. Conditions of Germination 312

Proper Depth of Sowing .316

§ 4. Chemical Physiology of Germination 318

Chemistry of Malt 319

Chap. IL— § 1. Food of the Plant when independent of the Seed 327

I 2. The Juices of the Plant. Their Nature and Movements 330

Flow of Sap., 331

Bleeding 332

Composition of Sap 337

Kinds of Sap 338

Motion of Nutrient Matters 340

§ 3. Causes of Motion of the Juices 340

Porosity of Tissues 340

, Imbibition 346

Capillary Attraction 349

Liquid Diftusion 351

Osmose or Membrane Diffusion 354

Root Action 360

Selective Power of Plant 362

§ 4. Mechanical Effects of Osmose 36S

I 5, Direction of Vegetable Growth 3®

APPENDIX.— TABLES.

Table I.-'Composition of the Ash of Agriculf 1 Plants and Product^; Averages.376

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HOW CEOPS GEOW.

Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table

Table n.— Composition of Fresh or Air-dry Agricult'l Products in 1,000 parts..381

III.— Proximate Composition of Agricultural Plants and Products 385

IV.— Detailed Analyses of Bread Grains 388

v.— Detailed Analyses of Potatoes 389

VI.— Detailed Analyses of Sugar Beets oW-J

VII.— Composition of Fruits 390

Vin.— Fruits arranged in tlie Order of their Content of Sugar 39.:5

IX.— Fruits arranged in the Order of their Content of Free Acid 393

X.— Fruits arranged according to proportions between Acid, Sugar, etc. .393 Xi.— Fruits arranged according to the proportions between Water,

Soluble Matters, etc 394

XTL- Proportion of Oil in Seeds 3J4