WHAT PLANTS NEED.
There are three things which plants must have. These are soil, water, and sunshine.
We have already learned what soil is and how it is made. When the little seed falls where there is not much soil it has a hard time to grow. If the rain waters it and the sun shines upon it the seed begins to swell and soon sends out a tiny shoot. This tries to push its way down into the ground, but if there is no soil the young plant dies in a short time.
The soil is deep and rich in the valley. This is the reason that we find the largest trees there. The farmer who lives in the valley raises a larger crop of wheat than the one who lives upon the hill.
Upon the hills the soil is often very thin. In some places the rocks may stick up through the soil. Plants do not love the rocks, for they cannot get food from them.
When the summer comes the plants upon the hills where the soil is shallcw dry up and turn yellow. Shallow soil cannot hold water very long. The plants in the valley can reach their roots deep.
There are no rocks to stop them and down they go until they get where the ground is moist.
Plants need water more than they do soil with food in it. If the soil is poor some of them will manage to grow. If there is no water they will all die. If you forget to water the plants in your window you will soon see by their wilted leaves how thirsty they are. Have you seen the plants in the field droop upon a hot summer day? This is because the sun and air are taking so much water from the ground that the plants soon begin to suffer.
A desert is a place where there is little or no water. In some deserts there are no plants to be
seen. In others there are a few plants that have become used to living with only a very little water.
If it should rain in the desert the barren stretches of sand and clay would soon be covered with plants. This shows us that plants can get along without rich soil, but they must have water. Some plants will grow in pure sand if they have plenty of water.
There is another thing that most plants need. This is sunshine. Have you seen potatoes sprouting in the cellar where it is dark? The little sterns are slender and pale. If there is a window near they reach out toward it. They try hard to get where there is sunshine.
People need sunshine as well as the plants. Miners who work underground away from the sun are always pale. You never see them with rosy cheeks.
Did you ever think how much you are like a little plant? If you have plenty to eat and lots of sunshine you will grow fast and become strong. The little plant that has plenty of light and deep, moist soil is strong and happy.
Most plants do not grow during the whole year. In the spring and summer they do their work. In the winter they rest. From this we see that plants need something more than soil, water, and sunshine. They must also have warm weather in order to grow.
Perhaps you live where it is warm in winter. Roses and oranges are blossoming out of doors. Do plants ever rest where it is warm all of the time? Watch some of them and you will soon find out.