I I. SCME E-‘HYSICLCCICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PRODUCTION OF FLAX FIBER CELLS TEESIS FOR li-EGI‘IE 01’ TH. 79. BRITTAIN B. ROBINSON 1932 onwfiwhwr IE1 ... tnfll‘ngfl'l: I L 1! [1 I .I - FIF "Il. TH fins .7. .flwwnlnflnflnvamwlrn ithmnlwer rm r rtrmwwfims -w. warm mmmummn. : u . r E1-uuww.§..,§--mwmrw mwmvmmmt MU ’3‘ .- 11.1.}! 1.9.!!! SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PRODUCTION OF FLAK FIBER CELLS By B. B. ROBINSON A THESIS Presented to the Graduate School of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in Partial Fulfill- ment of requirements for the Degree of Doctor of PhiIOSOphy Botany Department East Lansing, Michigan 1932 ~J SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PRODUCTION OF FLAX FIBER CELLS Introduction The early investigations upon fiber flax were in the main an attempt to obtain data on the influence of various fertility factors on yields of straw, seed and fiber. These studies conducted under different conditions resulted in conflicting interpretations. In the past decade investigations have continued in this field, but the investigators have tried to study it more from an anatomical viewpoint to determine just what occurs within the plants when they are grown and supplied with different so-called nutrients. Following the excellent work initiated by the Irish Linen Industry Research Association, studies were made of the morphological characteristics of the fiber cells when grown under different con- ditions. This has involved the sectioning of many flax stems, the enlarging of these sections with the aid of a projection microscope, and measuring the cross-sectional area of the fiber cells. Previous results have shown that the percentage of fiber, as determined by the cross-sectional area of fiber cells in relation to the stem area, varies barely three per cent for plants of different varieties and for the average of mature plants grown under different conditions. However, a slight increase in the area of fiber cells combined with an increased area of stem and height would result in a much greater 1 fiber yield per plant. The'work more recently reported has been in connection with plant breeding selection studies, and a few results have been reported .1 {we a :2? ~ .F'LJ“‘£'_'J 2.. -3- from field fertilizer plots under conditions where it has been impossible to control many factors which influence the development of the fiber cells within a plant. No results have been reported from replicated field plot treatments or plants grown in greenhouses where some con- trolled conditions were possible. Further, no experimental results based upon cross-sections have been reported where two or more fertilizer elements were applied in combinations. This paper presents and discusses results from water and soil cultures grown under greenhouse conditions and plants grown under field conditions in replicated plots. PREVIOUS WORK Davin and Searle (4)1 and Davin (3) have reported practically the only determinations of the areas of fiber cells from cross-sections of stems. They concluded that the percentage of fiber of the flax plant is inherited but failed to find any external characters of the plant with which the percentage of fiber was correlated. They showed that the number of fiber cells and size of the single fibers increased with the thickness of the stem irrespective of length. Results from two successive years' field work led Davin (3) to conclude that potash, if not in excess, causes an increase in the length of the flax plant, and superphosphate produces an increase in the percentage of fiber. This increase of the percentage of fiber due to phosphatic fertilizers was only 0.7 per cent but was significant, for among many thousands of 1Reference by number is to "Literature Cited", page 32. -3- flax plants examined in Ireland, the range of the variation in the percentage of fiber was only from 9.69 to 11.35 per cent or a difference of 1.66 per cent. Renard (16) stated that he did not obtain, in the one year in which he grew flax in soil with different moisture percentages, such convincing results as secured by Davin (3) and one or two other experi- menters. He found material differences in the inner structure of cross-sections of stems which were grown under similar conditions but did not obtain differences for area of fiber, wood, or pith cavity that were consistent for different races of flax or flax subjected to different moisture relations. The cross-sections of flax stems studied by the different workers were usually taken in the middle of the stem at right angles to the length. Therefore it is desirable to show the relationship of the fiber cells within the steam at that point to other locations along the stem. Herzog (8) reviews very completely the previous literature regarding the length and thickness of fiber cells in relation to their position within the plant. His results show that the individual fibers, or the ultimate fiber cells, are longer in the upper than in the lower part of the plant, but the ultimate fiber cells are smaller in diameter at the apical than at the basal and of the plant. Some data, taken from Tammes (21), show that the number of fiber cells, as well as the number of fiber bundles, varies throughout the length of the plant. However, the latter is fairly uniform, but the number of fiber cells is highest in the median portion of the stem. Thus the relative yields of fiber determined at the median portion of a stem are higher than is -4- the true condition of the entire plant. Field fertilizer tests with fiber flax have been in some ways conflicting, due probably in many cases to soil heterogeneity. ‘Weck (25), Kleberger (10), and Kuhnert (12) obtained increased yields of flax with nitrogenous fertilizers when applied in combination with other elements and Scheel (18), Bredemann and Fabian (2), and Fabian (6) recognized that some nitrogen was necessary for best yields, but like Tobler (22) and the others emphasized the importance of not using too much of the nitrogenous fertilizer. Gross (7) obtained no benefi- cial effects from nitrogenous salts when supplied in addition to potash salts but attributed it to an extremely dry year when the experiment was conducted. Kulikova (13), experimenting with chemically pure single nitrogenous salts in soil cultures under somewhat controlled conditions, arranged the salts with regard to their beneficial effects on the development of flax plants in the following descending order of importance: KN03, NH4N03, 1111401, (11392304, NaNOg, and Ca(N03)z. Davin (3), as previously mentioned, has shown an increase in the percentage of fiber in cross-sections and in the fiber content of the flax plant due to an application of phosphorus without causing any significant differences in the number and size of the fibers. Bredemann and Fabian (2) also have stated that phosphorus is slightly beneficial, but that sometimes it lowers the fiber quality. Mitrofanov (l4) concluded that large applications of nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers lowered the fiber quality, and in order to obtain satisfactory yields it was necessary to employ a complete -5- fertilizer. Most authors attribute a great deal of importance to potash, and Davin (5) and Powers (15) have shown that it increases the height of the flax plants. Bredemann and Fabian (2) have stated that it counteracts the bad influence produced by an excessive quantity of nitrogenous fertilizer, and for a soil which is deficient in potash, an application is very beneficial. Scheel (18) obtained increased yields with potash fertilizers. No one particular potassium salt results always in the greatest amount of growth. Kraft (11) states that the chloride acts favorably, and this is supported by the work of others. Kleberger (10) obtained the most satisfactory results with kainite, while Tobler (23,24) believed that acid sulphate was the best. Steigerwald (20) found that the chemically pure salt of potassium magnesium sulphate was better for seed yields than pure potassium chloride. Most investigators believe that fiber flax does best upon a neutral to slightly alkaline soil but that a recent application of lime has a retarding effect upon the growth of the flax. Deterre (5) believes that lime in excess may give a short fiber. Increased flax yields are usually attributed to varietal differences and to the effects produced by fertilizers. Hutchinson (9) concluded that there was little to be gained by applying fertilizer to flax when the crop was grown in a fairly rich clay loam soil and in regular rotation with other farm crops. Robinson and Cook (17) found that heavier types out-yielded lighter types of soil consistently and that applications of fertilizer to the lighter soil types did not cause then to give yields equal to untreated heavier soils. -5- EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Greenhouse Methods Soil Cultures: In the first experiments sand cultures were used in triplicate. A sand known to be deficient in available plant fertilizer elements was used as a culture medium. To this medium were added the fertilizer elements in the form of a solution made up with distilled water. These elements were added in the quantities and proportions suitable for good growth of cereal crops because it was thought these proportions might be suitable for flax. Growth of flax under these conditions was satisfactory in most cases. The results shown in Table l ‘were for plants grown in such sandy soil in a greenhouse in the winter of 1928. As indicated in the table, nitrogen was added to this pre- pared soil medium in such quantities as to allow the designation of low, medium, and high nitrogen content. Nitrogen was used in the form of potassium and calcium nitrates. Additional amounts of the solutions 'were added each week, and distilled water was poured over the soil when necessary. A specially prepared soil consisting of approximately one-fourth sand, one-fourth manure, and one-half muck which was thoroughly mixed and screened was used in another greenhouse experiment. This experiment was run in triplicate. These soil cultures containing flax plants were placed under different periods of illumination. The periods were 10, 13 to 18, and 18 hours of light per day. The long days were obtained with the aid of artificial light from 1000 watt electric bulbs. These bulbs located approximately four feet above the soil illuminated a soil -7- um.¢m mmo. m.mw H¢.¢H mm o.m¢m 0.0m Ham mo.¢ musom ma mo.mm mma. m.m> ¢N.mm em H.m©oH >.m> own mo.h mpsom wanna Hfl.mm mmH. u.mw mm.mma mm H.mnmfl m.aoa moo wm.w manom OH fimwvowpomosomm am.mfl awe. m.Hm Hm.am no m.nem m.mm Ham no.0 mom swam mm.Hm obo. a.mm mm.0m am H.mme m.mw mmm mm.a moz assess Om.am Hoe. >.Nm m¢.>w em >.oam m.u¢ mom aa.w s02 seq mm.mm mmo. m.am mm.mm em o.oam m.mm mom em.m noz oz .Em .80 .85 .50 .Eo.p50 .Eo.wm .Eo .wm mHHoo peso popwm ummwoa manned nopwm Hope Eopw hopfim hogan hem ammo pom Emwm owesmhd no mama» mmeoq seed send mo .02 ampwm pmmapsoua demeagoem pom mpcsam 509% spam onOfipoem pseam oawzflm Scum even .mswgepaom hp dogwsvno mwaoflm popwm Seam emusHSoHso mse.wonoflgoom pom macsam Scam aonwm owspnoopmm one .hsm some uswwa we meowpom psopommHv aw Beam mouspaso nonpo a“ mpnsam .mousupfiq mo mandoad p:ocm@%wv sapwooou moudeSO Hfiom oEom .pqupsoup nose 50am woman 0:0 wnficowpoom Scam vecfispno apnoEmsstoS mace and mmma SH senescompw d a“ mohdpado Hwom a“ ssoaw mycsam 50pm cmnflspno mpadmoa mewsozm .H sands -8- area of approximately 12 square feet. The 13 to 18 hour illumination means that the plants when germinated received 13 hours of light each day. This period of illumination was increased approximately 30 min- utes each week until it reached 18 hours of light where it was kept constant. With this increase from 13 to 18 hours of light, the plants grew under duration of light conditions similar to those they would have had if grown in a field during the regular growing season. In 1930 flax was grown in a series of soil cultures in a green- house. This soil was different from the soil used in 1928. It was a sand loam upon which flax had previously been grown in a field. As the field flax had not yielded exceptionally well, it was thought the soil might be deficient in elements necessary for plant growth. The soil was well mixed before being put into two gallon crooks which were used in this particular experiment. Fertilizers were added to each crock at the rate of 350 pounds per acre or 1.225 grams per crock of 7000 grams of dry soil. The different fertilizer analyses used may be seen by reference to Table 2. This experiment was run in duplicate. The flax plants were watered whenever it appeared necessary. water Cultures: In 1931 plants were grown in a greenhouse in water cultures containing a few or all of the essential plant fertilizer elements in certain proportions. These proportions were those in which other workers had found cereals to grow well. The culture solutions were in three gallon crooks, and the number of plants per crock was approximately thirty. This allowed approximately 400 c.c. of solution for each plant, and as the plants were small, the solutions were only changed once at the end of the second week. The experiment -9- 00.m 0.5m e.mm 0.000 0.00w m.mmm m.mm >.Hs m.mw mwm man How >H.0 0m.w eH.¢ OImHuo 00.0 m.mm 0.00 0.0mm ¢.0mm m.000 m.00 m.¢m $.50 wmm ewm wee 0H.> m>.m m¢.> mnouw 00.0 n.>m ¢.mb m.mHOH m.mwm 0.>¢0H m.e> m.0b e.mb swm mHe me ww.> ¢>.> H0.> wuwuw mm.0 m.mm m.00 m.mon c.wmm 0.HcmH 0.m0 m.wm w.>m mm» «mm oem mw.m m0.0 mm.m mumHnw mm.0 m.>w m.Om ¢.m00H H.HOHHm.mmoH m.¢w H.mw H.00 was one ¢H¢ 50.5 0H.m mw.u mumHuo m¢.0 e.om m.H> H.5Hm m.new 0.000 ¢.00 H.00 p.00 mmm mmm wwm 0m.> um.» m>.0 010:0 we.» m.mm m.¢s >.mmOH 0.0mHHs.0m0H H.mm $.50 m.m¢ men 05¢ emu Hm.0 mm.> m>.¢ oHumHue mm.w 0.00 m.mm H.5n0H m.¢>ons.mmm $.00 ¢.¢w $.05 mHe Owe mow ¢>.> mm.s $0.5 wsmHue 00.0 m.mm 0.H> 0.smm m.mum m.me H.Hu $.00 s.H0 man man man He.p 0m.w mm.m eanne mm.m m.em m.mm m.mmm n.5mm n.000 0.00 m.mm 0.00 Hmm 00m mmm em.0 mm.m m>.0 QumHue mm.0 H.mm m.m> m.m00H m.m¢m ¢.mmHH m.>w e.H0 ¢.¢> ewn wow 00¢ m¢.m mm.m 0m.0 osouw mm.m H.mw «.mm 0.m50H H.u¢m m.mONH m.mm 0.05 m.moH «an mam mHm 00.0 mm.w em.m onouo .ohd N H .oa< m H .eh4 m H .ob¢ m H .Em .Eo .EE.fio mHHoo wHHoo mfiopm macaw amnHm meopm mo send sopHm mo «mad aenHm .oz ampHm name hem psoapsmae unease spasm: 33w .quHEaepoU magma teasmsofi aspHm 059 was venoHpoom one: maSpHso no psoEpsonp nose anm waopm 03p was vmdeHHmsu one? mpsoapsmap one .Oan CH omsosqooaw a HH agoum msafiszo amuHHHpaom HHOm 80am when .N oHQsB -10- was terminated at the end of the fourth week. The nutrient solutions were made up as shown in Table 3. Tap water was used for the first and second series of water cultures because it was thought that the very small amounts of mineral impurities of this water would help to produce a better growth. However, none of these mineral impurities would be present in any case in a sufficient amount to cause an appreciable difference in the effect produced by the fertilizer elements which were being tested. In the third series of water cultures, distilled water was used. In all cases where flax was grown in water cultures, the plants were harvested at the age of four weeks. Only the living plants were measured and sectioned and the results, appearing in Tables 3 and 4, give the number of dead plants which were numerous in a few cultures. Field Methods The field experiments in 1931 were conducted upon a Hillsdale soil. .A typical Hillsdale soil in its virgin condition is characterized by a surface layer of three to four inches of grayishrbrown loam or sandy loam. Below this is a pale yellowish friable sandy loam ten to fifteen inches thick. This material then grades off into a yellowish- brown material from 18 to 24 inches thick, containing large quantities of clay that are still granular and friable. The upper horizon is acid in reaction and the soil is of average fertility. The experimental field selected was one upon which no fertilizer had been applied for several years, and the field was thought to be deficient, as most Hillsdale soils are, in phosphorus and to some extent potash. Later, it developed from laboratory tests used to -11- Table 3. Showing the number of c.c. of salt solutions (l/M) added to each 12- liter jar water culture grown in 1931. Tap water was used for the first and second series but distilled water was used for the third series. Solutions were changed at the end of two weeks and the cultures were grown only four weeks. J.W.S. flax was grown in all jars. Data are given upon the average height of the plants, the number dead and alive at the completion of the experiment and the dry weights of the roots and tops. Average Number weight Weight No. Ca(N03)2 NaHgP04 KCl MgSO4 height plants roots stems Jar c.c. c. ‘ c.c. c. cm. Alive Dead gm. gm. FIRST SERIES 1 N 6204 ““ "‘ 180 6.76 29 O .250 0450 2 P ““‘ 216 ““ 180 6003 30 2 0330 0280 3 I ---~ --- 216 180 5.66 28 1 .270 .260 4 ---- --- --- --- 6.32 30 0 .295 .280 5 PK ---- 216 216 180 6.09 16 14 .295 .300 6 NPK 62.4 216 216 180 9.65 30 l .845 .820 7 ZNPK 124.8 216 216 180 11.83 18 11 .715 .780 8 NK 62.4 --- 216 180 6.34 22 3 .195 .365 9 ---- --- --- --- 7.50 32 0 .110 .340 10 N2PK 62.4 432 216 180 17.13 26 0 .970 1.530 11 NP 6204 216 "‘ 180 9.88 25 2 0465 0570 12 NPZK 62.4 216 432 180 6.40 10 20 .355 .600 SECOND SERIES 1 30 400 400 180 10.12 26 2 .235 .690 2 60 400 300 180 16.26 33 O .400 1.690 3 90 400 200 180 21.64 37 0 .670 3.250 4 120 400 100 180 25.09 37 0 .940 4.965 5 120 300 200 180 19.25 39 0 .590 2.695 6 120 200 300 180 13.77 27 5 .190 1.145 7 120 100 400 180 9.56 34 3 .200 1.010 8 60 300 400 180 11.33 32 3 .220 1.070 9 90 200 400 180 8.98 33 l .160 .775 10 90 200 300 180 13.71 38 1 .320 1.580 11 75 250 350 180 9.92 16 15 .140 .790 12 105 250 250 180 17.48 33 0 .445 2.270 TEIRD SERIES 03843902 @2594 “59% Ratio 1 3102 4592 480 1‘1‘8 11082 9 20 0145 .550 2 31.2 345.6 60 8-1-1 11.72 15 17 .300 .880 3 249.6 43.2 60 1-8-1 11.10 21 18 .330 1.015 4 6204 21600 180 5‘2‘3 12088 27 14 0430 10190 5 93.6 129.6 240 3-3-4 15.96 37 3 .585 1.485 6 93.6 172.8 180 4-3-3 12.97 25 12 .440 1.180 7 31.2 172.8 300 4-1-5 12.58 22 16 .355 .965 8 156.0 172.8 60 4-5-1 10.23 9 23 .230 .580 9 124.8 43.2 300 1-4-5 16.86 27 7 .375 1.305 10 187.2 86.4 120 2-6-2 11.26 36 7 .450 1.145 11 62.4 86.4 360 2-2-6 13.46 28 11 .440 1.025 12 124.8 129.6 180 3-4-3 13.41 13 23 .305 1.030 First Series Second Series Third Series Date planted March 28, 1931 April 28, 1931 June 3, 1931 IDate harvested April 27, 1931 may 29, 1931 -Additional salts 10 c.c. iron tartrateZD c.c. iron citrate 0.2% 5 c.c. MnCl 0.2% July 1, 1931 20 c.c. iron citrate :5 c.c. MnSO4 14/14 3 c.c. H3305 m/5 00H. n0H0.H H.0 «0.00 0.0Hu0.000 0.H u. 0.0H 0.0 00.00 00. H000 00-0-2 000. 0000.0 0. 0 00. HOH H.H0 «0.000 0.0 .H. 0.00 H.0 «0.00H 00. “«00.0 mummuz 00H. 0000.0 0. 0 #0. 0HH 0.00 H«0.000 0. M H.00 0.0 $0.0HH 0H. HOH.0 0.4720 00H. «000.0 0. H #0. 00 0.00 «0.000 H.H u. 0.0H 0.0 «0.0HH 0H. “00.0 Namuz H001 «000.H 0.0.00.00 0.HH «H.0H0 0. H 0.0H 0.0.40.00 00. “00.0 Mum 00H. HH00.H 0.H “0.00 0.0H “0.000 0.H u. H.0H 0.0 00.00 00. H000 .012 00H. “0000.0 0. H M0. 00 0.0H NH.H00 0. u. 0.0H 0.0 «0.0HH H0. u«00.0 . 0:2 80. £24 0. H «m. 00 0.0 3.000 0. .+ 0.2 o.» «0.00 3. «00.0 x 000. «00H.H H. H «0. 00 0.0 «0.000 0. .4. 0.0H 0.H «0.H0 0H. 200.0 m 000. m 0H0.H 0. H «0.00 0.0 a 0.000 0. «.7 0.0H 0.0 “0.00 00. 9.00.0 2 000. «00H.H H. 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There were 14 different fertilizer treatments applied to these field plots, and each treatment was replicated three times. The size of the plots was seven by three feet, and the applications of fertilizer were at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. At the age of 41 days when the young seedling plants were about 28 centimeters tall, they were selected for sectioning. Five plants, representing as near as possible the average size from each plot, were selected, measured, and preserved in a formalin-acetic-alcohol fixing solution for later sectioning. At that time there was no disease present in any of the plots, but a few weeks later wilt, Fusarium lini, appeared in the field and greatly affected the total yields from several plots. The wilt was not found to be correlated with any fertilizer treatment. The plants selected at maturity, age 92 days, for sectioning were not noticeably affected by the fungus disease, and it is believed the anatomical data are dependable. Five mature plants were selected from each plot, measured and preserved in a manner similar to that used for the seedling plants. The data, therefore, were obtained from 280 seedling and 280 mature plants; that is 20 plants were sectioned from each of the 14 treat- ments in the seedling stage, and 20 from each of the 14 treatments in the mature stage. In the case of the seedling stems, separate data were secured from each replicate plot. 'With the mature plants, 15 stems representing five stems from three separate replications or series, were bulked together. Therefore separate records were not -14- secured for the different replicates except the first series, which waS'worked up separately. The data showing the difference in methods for seedling and mature stems are seen in Tables 5 and 7. Histological Methods All of the plants for sectioning were killed and fixed in the formalin-acetic-alcohol solution, desilicated for three days in a ten per cent solution of hydrofluoric acid, imbedded in celloidin, and finally out on a sliding microtome. The sections were cut approximate- ly 40 microns thick. This procedure was somewhat similar to that used by Searle (19) but different in technique. The cross-sections were in some cases stained with phloxine, but methyl green proved generally more satisfactory. The celloidin matrix was not removed, as it helped to keep the sections intact. Where the methyl green stain was used, the sections were run through absolute alcohol before clearing in xylol, but with the phloxine stain the sections were run to 95 per cent alcohol and then cleared in carbol-turpentine and xylol. This pre- vented the loss of the celloidin matrix which would dissolve if abso- lute alcohol followed the treatment with phloxine stain. The sections were enlarged with a projection microscope shown in Figure 1. The images were thrown on tracing cloth stretched over a glass table top and were focused by means of a handle 2 shown in Figure 1. With this apparatus the operator could measure the fiber cell area with a planimeter while keeping the image well focused by turning the focusing handle slightly to bring out details, which often varied from fiber bundle to fiber bundle within a section. The number of fiber cells per cross-section was counted, and the area of stem.and Figure l. A side view of the projection microscope and table used for the enlargement of the flax plant cross-sections. A top view of the movable table tOp is shown in Figure 2. The fine adjust- ment of the microscope was operated by a handle at the right hand upper corner of the table. -15- 0.00H0.000 0.0mfl0.00HH 0. 00N0.00HH 0 00fl0.0H0 0.00H0.000 0.HH0.00 0.0fl0.H0 0.0M0.00 0.0H0.00 0.nNH.00 0000 00000 0.00flo.00oH H.00M0.00HH 0. 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H00 0. 0M 0.0H0 0. 0 fl0. 000 900H H.0HM0.00H Mb.+ +00.0 o .:H0.0 0H.¢00. 0 900H 0H.fl00.0 0:0Hlo 0.0 00. 000 0.0H+0. 000 0. 0H+0. 000 0.0.«0.000 0.0000300H 0H. NH0.0 H0.» 00. 0 00.n0H.0 00.000.0 0H.000.0 0:0:0 0. 0 «0. 000 0. 0 +0. 000 0.0 H0.000 0.0600000 0.0 “0.000 0H.«00.0 0O.H00. 0 005.0020 00300.0 0H.«00.0 0:0:0 0. 01fl0.H00 0. 0.H0. HHN 0.0H00.H00 0.0Ha0.onm 0.HH00.000 0H.: 00.0 00.-00.0 0H.+ 00.0 0H.mHH.0 00.«00.0 0:0H:0 0. 0.00. H00 0. 0.7.0. 0H0 0.0 “0.00H H.0h0.0H0 0.0».0.00H HH.M0H. 0 00... Ho.0 H0. ...00 0 m00.0 00.000...” 0:0HIO 0. 00.0. 000 0. HHfiw. 000 H.0 “0.000 H.0H0.00H 0.0 «0.02.. 00.n00.0 H0.«0H. 0 OH... 00. 0 0.0.0.0020 0H.#00.0 wIOIO 0. 0500. 000 0. 0H00. 000 0.0uw0.000 0.0u.0.H00 0.0 "0.000 O .«00.0 H0.«H0.0 00.0 00. 0 0H.fl00.0 :0. 00.0 0HI0H:0 0. mnrH. 000 0.0Hfl0.000 0.0HNO.HON 0.0uu0.0H0 H.HH#0.000 00.000.0 0H.HO0.0 00.n00. 0 00.n00.0 0H.H00. 0 0:0H:0 0.0 ....0. 0.00 0.000.000 H. 0 #0. 000 0.0a. 0.000 0.0 «02.00 00..+.H0.0 00.HH0.0 00.n00.0 00.u.00.0 H0.u.00.0 0:0HI0 o. 0 .....0. 000 0.040.000 0. 0HHO. 000 0.0.4.0.00H 0.0 M.0.OH.~.. 0H.». 00. 0 00300.10 00360.0 00.3.0.0 0H..u.00.0 0:0:0 0. 0.00. 00 H 0.0H00.00H 0. 0 «0. 0H0 0.0.0.0.00H 0.0 V0.00H 0 “00.0 0 ....00.0 0 ....00.0 0H.«00.0 0 ..:+00.0 0:0:0 .000 0 0 m H .000 0 0 m H 000000.00 0HH00 honHm no 002852 nepHm 9z0o 00m .02 00Hu0m meaddm oquammm quHm .AH:zv wean: 0Hzauom H0000m hp 0090H50H00 one: whOhuo 0Hp0ponm .0Hom 00000 0000 0H 0000Hnw0e 00090609z00 000300 :0 000 8090 no 0000 0a0 nonwm no 0000 0:0 .9q0a90009 pom 05090 00 mo 00000>0 n0 no .00qow9o00 0003 :oHna 05090 0>Hm mo 00000>0 039 0H .uouao 0Hp0nonm 09H :9Hg..9Hzmon £000 .000000 n00HHH9uom 9000000H0 Azom 0H H00H nH 0H0Hm 039 G0 :sonw 0003.:0Hna 08090 quHvoem Scum 00GH09no 0900 .0 0H000 -15- area of fiber were measured with the planimeter. Due to the fact that many sections were torn slightly in cutting or that the stain through- out the section was not uniform, it was necessary to have some means of calculating the fiber area of a section where it was impossible to measure the complete 360 degrees. This was possible by having the table tap moveable, as shown in Figure 2; with a slight shift of the table top from one side to the other the image could be centered within a protractor and definite angles measured. All measurements were taken in duplicate, and at least two different measurements were taken from each stem. 'Where a reading was taken for a definite angle with the protractor, the result was calculated for 360 degrees, assuming as was usually the case, that the section had a symmetrical arrange- ment of the bundles. In a few stems it was found that there was 30 to 40 per cent more fiber on one side of the section than on the other, and if such stems had been measured for only 90° or a 150° and the results calculated for the area of the entire stem, undoubtedly an error would arise. The greatest difficulty experienced in measuring the fiber cells was to distinguish them clearly in the seedling plants. In the mature stems the fiber bundles and cells were always distinct. In the seedling sections the thickening of the fiber cell walls had not proceeded very far, and there were many cells which were probably in a very early transitional stage, which made classification difficult. In the mature plants the cell wall thickening was so far along in its development that all cells could be distinctly classified as either fiber cells or parenchyma cells. That transitional cells exist with very little if any Figure 2. A tap view of the movable table top showing the protractor and planimeter used in measuring the fiber cells and stem areas. The dark circular area inside the outer drawn protractor circle indicates the size of the hole in the table top which was covered with I plate glass and tracing cloth through which the images were projected. -17- cell wall thickening may be seen from the results in which the fiber percentages of seedling stems average about four per cent, while in the mature plants the fiber percentages average eight to nine per cent. In Figure 3 it may be noted that in the seedling section the fiber cells are surrounded by parenchyma tissue, while in the mature stems this tissue has almost disappeared and the fiber cells have greatly increased in number. THE ORIGIN OF FLAX FIBSR CELLS trands of flax fiber cells are usually called bast fibers. This term is now understood to include all fibers outside the cambium layer, including phloem, pericycle and cortex fibers. The origin of the flax fiber cells has been somewhat disputed. Herzog (8 p.119) mentions earlier studies in which Tammes (21) attributes the fiber cells to primary cambium origin as sclerenchyma fibers of the peri- cycle, neither belonging to the cortexlnr to the bast; Winter (26) disputes this. However, it seems as though the difference of Opinion may be entirely due to differences in terminology. In several of the seedling sections studied by the writer the fiber cells showed plainly as pericycle fibers, Figure 3. In these sections the endodermis layer appeared distinctly as it would in root sections and definitely showed the fiber cells to be pericycle fibers. Figures 5 and 6 are photo- micrographs of portions of cross-sections from flax stems and illustrate the variability in size, number and area of the fiber cells within different plants. Figure 5. A photomicrograph of a seedling flax stem which shows a fairly distinct endodermis (E). In- side the endodermis may be distinguished the fiber cells, showing them to arise from the pericycle. “4.8" THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFEdENT'PfiRIODS OF LIGHT DURATION ON THE HEIGHT OF FLAX PLANTS The results of flax plants grown under different periods of light in 1928 are shown in Table l. The plants, as might be expected, responded very differently to varied light durations. Adams (I) grew four sets of flax plants exposed to light for 5, 10, 15, and 20 hours, and four additional sets exposed for 3, 6, 12, and 18 hours, respectively. These plants were measured at the age of 30 and 47 days, respectively, for the two series. Taller plants were produced under the longer periods of illumination. As Adams gave no additional data for older plants, it is impossible to tell if those with shorter light exposure did not finally grow taller than those having a longer exposure to light. The plants reported in Table 1 grown in an 18-hour light period per day grew the most rapidly as seedlings, but flowered and matured in 75 days without attaining any considerable height. Those grown in a lO-hour light period per day grew very slowly at the beginning, but eventually attained the greatest height and after 110 days started to flower, at which time the experiment was discontinued. The plants grown in a 15-18 hour light period per day grew at an intermediate rate and attained an intermediate height. Figure 4 shows plants 75 days old grown under different periods of light. The long- day plants had produced mature seed bolls and seed, the medium long-day plants were in flower and the shorteday plants were still far behind in approaching maturity. However, the short-day plants finally exceeded all the other plants in height. Figure 4. Flax plants all the same age, 75 days, grown in 1928 under different periods of light. The treat- ments were as follows: (A) 10 hours of light per day; (B) 13-18 hours of light per day; and (C) 18 hours of light per day. The plants in (C) have mature seed; the plants in (B) are in bloom; and the plants in (C) are very far behind in their development. -19- INFLUENCE OF DIFFEAENT PERIODS OF LIGHT DURATION ON THE FIBER YIELD OF FLAX PLANTS The flax plants grown under different periods of light duration gave very large differences in fiber yields, which is perhaps best shown by figures obtained by multiplying the cross-sectional area of fiber by the height of the plant. The plants grown in an 18-hour light period per day matured so quickly that they did not attain normal size and produced a small number and a very small area of fiber cells, and a low yield of fiber in cubic millimeters. The short-day plants yielded eight times as much fiber in cubic millimeters per plant as the long day plants. The plants which germinated in 13 hours of light per day and received additional light as they grew until at their maturity were receiving 18 hours of light per day developed normally. They had a high percentage of fiber, a good number of fiber cells and were plants of good volume. INFLUENCE OF NUTRIEIT CONDITIONS ON THE HEIGHT 0F FLAX PLANTS The tallest flax plants produce the greatest yields of fiber. However, plants may grow so tall that they lodge and make harvesting more difficult, if not resulting in a loss in yield. Such plants are also susceptible to attack by fungi. Results are shown in Table 1 with plants grown in a greenhouse in 1928 in soil cultures to which different amounts of nitrate solu- tion were added. Apparently the nitrate alone had little effect in increasing the height or cross-sectional area of the plants in this experiment. In Table 2, which shows results of soil cultures in the greenhouse in 1930, it is apparent that fertilizers produced little effect on height of plants. Figure 5. Photomicrographs of portions of cross-sections from flax stems of equal area and magnification showing in (A) a high percentage of fiber - 10.65, and in (B) a low percentage of fiber - 6.87. Figure 6. Photomicrographs of portions of cross-sections from flax stems of equal area and magnification showing in (A) a low number of large fiber cells - 539, and in (B) a high number of small fiber cells - 650. -20- In the water culture experiments the length of stem was greatest where three-salt cultures (particularly the l.7-30.7-10.1* analysis in the first series, Table 4) were used instead of one-salt cultures. In 'the second series of plants grown in water cultures in 1931 in the green- house, the 2.5-2s.4-9.4 and the 3.4-2s.4-4.7 (jars 3 and 4, Table 3) treatments gave the greatest dry weights and height of plants. In the third series of plants grown in the greenhouse the same year in media containing different nutrient salts, the 2.6-9.2-6.1 and the 3.5-5.1-2.0 analyses (jars 5 and 9, Table 5) produced the highest yields of dry weights of tops and roots and the tallest plants. It is interesting that the cultures which yielded the best in the first and second series of water cultures, were cultures with.very similar analyses, being very high in phosphorus and medium high in potassium. Two of the best yielding cultures (jars 4 and 5) of the third series resembled in their analyses those which yielded well in other experiments. In Table 6 are shown the actual stem lengths of seedling and mature plants from replicated field fertility plots. A study of the seedling stem length shows that nearly all of the fertilizer treat- ments Produce taller plants than the no-fertilizer treatment. The treatments containing nitrogen, particularly in combination with other elements, produced the tallest plants. However, the lengths of stems of the mature plants from different fertilizer treatments varied only from 66.0 to 75.8 cm. The differences in only a few cases are statis- tically significant. The relationship in height between the different fertilizer treatments in the mature stems is similar to that of the seedling stems, with the exception that the results of the 0-0-0 and *The order of the fertilizer elements in analyses in this paper is N-P-K. -21- five seed- treatments. Table 6. Actual stem lengths in centimeters of the average of ling or mature stems for each of the four series of fertilizer The stems were plants grown under field conditions in 1951 and which were sectioned, the results of which are shown in Tables 5 and 7. The yield of fiber in cubic millimeters is given both for the seedling and the mature stems. Probable errors were calculated by Bessel's formula using (N-l). FIELD PIAJJTS , 1931 Seedling stem lengths in cm. Yield of Series Noe 1 2 3 4 Ave. fiber Treatment cu. mm. 0-0-0 20.11 .7 23.63 .6 29.611.0 22.53.6 24.03 .4 12.8t.5 4-0-0 23.6‘klol 23.9 I .5 28.4} .4 26.022 .7 25.52 .4 17.71 .9 4-16-0 27.11 .9 19.91 .6 29.01 .4 57.531.8 28.4 t .5 20.53 .6 4-16-8 25.41 .8 22.51 .4 34.222.1 30.41 .7 28.1! .6 22.9: .8 4-16-16 24.81 .6 25.511.O 353.1" .5 38.411.4 30.5 2.5 22.72 .8 0-0-8 18.41 .1 17.22 .4 25.9: .5 34.021.0 123.9 t .3 13.5 1 .4 0-16-8 18.51:.4 23.011.35 26.2‘1‘ .4 29.3? .9 24.3t.9 24.3% .4 8-16-8 2:5.2'1 .7 25.014.5 36.011.6 33.4*1.2 29.4t1.2 23.831.4 4-8-8 26.9 t .9 26.511.2 30.1tl.4 324.011.]. 29.41 .6 21.8 3 .9 4‘0‘8 21.12 08 1706: 06 32031105 27091104 2407 t 06 1706 t 08 0-16-0 21.921.2 1.7.9'2 .5 35.7-11.3 31.8*1.3 26.3 1 .6 16.5 t.7 CaC03 2000 25.3 1 .3 25.011.0 22.4‘* .8 29.81” .8 24.6 1 .4 15.4 J‘- .4 08.003 4000 23.7).4't .9 21.31: .6 29.111.53 29.11: .4 25.7 2.4 17.5 t .5 08.003 6000 1904.: 07 21062103 28001 05 23.2:1.5 2501: 05 1301 t 06 Mature stem lengths in cm. Yield of Series No. l 2 3 4 Ave. fiber Treatment cu. mm. 0-0-0 67.6t1.5 71.431.0 74.2t..3 75.82 .5 72.31 .5 149.3?4.0 4-0-0 67.611.1 61.41 .9 68.631.O 66.3t2.8 66.01i.8 120.8t2.8 4-16-0 71.912.9 68.122.8 75.412.7 71.811.9 71.811.3 125.623.8 4-16-8 79.611.8 74.812.1 74.911.1 70.231.4 74.93’.8 134.424.5 4-16-16 69.612.0 73.012.7 75.721.3 70.731.7 71.811.0 140.314.2 0-0-8 70.1‘2.7 66.711.6 76.511.7 76.9tl.5 72.511.0 148.814.9 0-16'8 62053105 69071107 77042208 67023103 6902x100 12404t308 8‘16-8 70081202 65011109 76092108 77001209 72001101 13403t401 4‘8‘8 6603*202 78021107 65081 09 77021509 71091106 129081503 4'0-8 74021206 72041201 7506:108 81021102 75081100 18004t702 0-16‘0 74072101 69023208 78062100 75031106 74.51:.9 136061405 Ca003 2000 60.61 .9 74.322.2 67.711.2 71.112.6 68.41:.9 119.414.5 CaCOS 4000 68.4t1.5 72.421.0 69.511.6 72.4tl.7 70.73‘.7 118.435.5 CaCOs 6000 6906t105 65091200 73.92106 75081207 71053100 151092405 -22- 4-0-8 treatments are too high. It is possible that some fertilizers, particularly nitrogen, would tend to produce more rapid growth in the seedling stages, result- ing in a longer stem, but as maturity approached, plants fertilized 'with phosphorus and potassium wouldequal or even surpass the fast growing seedling plants. Nitrogen, whenever applied, produced marked increase in height in the seedling plants sectioned. In the mature plants from the same plots and treatments, the effect of nitrogen in early growth has been equalled or surpassed in some cases by phosphorus and potassium. Potassium, as mentioned earlier in the literature cited, has usually resulted in an increase in the height of mature plants. INFLUENCE OF NUTRIENT CONDITIONS ON THE PERCENTAGE OF FIBER OF FLAX PLANTS Under field conditions average yields of fiber seldom exceed 400 pounds per acre. If we think of this as a yield from mature stems with 8.5 per cent of fiber as measured by cross-sectional area, then an increase of one per cent of fiber per stem would actually be an addi- tional yield of 47 pounds of fiber per acre, or 11.75 per cent increase in the total yield per acre. This would probably be the maximum obtain- able, provided a fertilizer did not cause a greater height of plants, an increase in areas of stems, or an increase in the stand of plants per acre of ground. In the field experiments reported here, the greatest difference in percentage of fiber due to fertilizer treatment was 1.54lf.l7. In water cultures in the greenhouse experiments where conditions were such that greater variability could be secured, the potassium (K) culture yielded 5.77%“.18 per cent fiber, and the NPZK -33- treatment with an excess of potassium yielded only 3.08 .29 per cent fiber. It is interesting to observe in Table 4 that plants grown only in tap water yielded a higher percentage of fiber, 4.72 .18 per cent, though they did not attain any great height. Seedling flax plants grown under field conditions did not vary more than one per cent as between treatments, in percentages of fiber. A.difference of approximately one-half per cent fiber, between any two treatments is statistically significant. The percentage of fiber in the mature plants grown under field conditions was twice as great as it was in the seedling plants. This indicates that many cells surrounding the fiber cells, at the stage of the plants when the seedlings were measured, had not progressed far enough in their development to be called fiber cells, though later thickening of their cell walls took place. As in the seedling series, the mature stems did not show great differences in fiber percentages, as between the different treatments. For some reason not understood the check plot yielded next to the highest percentage of fiber and the results of the 0-16-0 fertilizer appear inconsistent with some of those obtained from the other plots. Statistically the data from all the field mature plants show significant differences only in one or two 038680 THE INFLUENCE OF NUTRIENT CONDITIONS ON THE NUMBER OF FIBER CELLS OF FLEX PLANTS The percentage of fiber as determined in relation to cross- sectional area of stem is not always indicative of the fiber yield, because the plants may vary in diameter as well as in length. The -34- data on the production of fiber cells shown in Tables 1 and 2 are based upon too few sections per treatment to have any great significance. Hewever, they serve in a way to indicate the trend and agree with some conclusions drawn from results which are obtained in other experiments. The results with water cultures grown in 1951 show the necessity of having a complete solution for the best production of fiber cells. Cultures containing three salts - a complete solution - produced more fiber cells than one salt or two salt cultures, with one exception. The one exception was a complete solution containing an excess of potas- sium (NPZK) which was too toxic for the plants, retarding their growth and in many cases killing them. It cannot be said from these experi- ments whether potassium or nitrogen had a greater influence on the production of fiber cells, but it is definitely shown that potassium in excess decreases the number. In Table 5, which shows the results obtained upon seedling plants grown in field replicated fertility plots in 1931, the number of fiber cells per stem is fairly constant, being similar to the percentages of fiber per stem. The results show that a difference of approximately 25 cells may be regarded as a significant difference, and nearly half of the treatments show an increase of 25 cells over the check plot. Fertilizers giving the greatest increase in number of cells per plant over the control are: 4-8-8, 4-16-0, and 4-16-8. The mature plants obtained from the same field replicated fertility plots in 1951, the results of which are shown in Table 7, indicate that no one treatment effected a significant increase or decrease in the number of fiber cells when compared with the check. The two lighter applications of calcium -25.. N. New. 1... HSH Tinting: m. we» N: 0:: New-H. HeH e.:0.$H H6 H. NJHH 0000 N00s0 ..oN «tn-NH mag-1.2.32 N. N0 NHmNH N. N. «N. NHH N030: 00 a 0.N.0H 000a e008 NSHAHNSHH N00 3003 H.NNH«0.NH0H N. 30.1w: 0.0aHéNH H.NH«..e.00 000N qN003 e. N30. 0% H m.Hm«m.0NNH N5. 3.0m: wéHNSNH testes-H 0.0 «0.HNH 0.3-0 0. 0m 3. NHNH 9890.32 e.HNH....N.0NeH 00 “0.HeH N.N a Ni: HENH N N03 N01. 0.3. 3.3.1.; 0.50 «HNSH 1000.2: H. H. «0. NNH as. atmNH 0.0H atHHH N-w-e fiHeaNéSH ”0.: «$.02: H.HHHNm.N0mH N: N. «HNNH N0 awéNH H.0 « 0.?” m-wH-N H.0mam0eeH mNm «HNHmH Nissan-NH N: ...... s. HNH m5 «0.NNH we a 0.:H N-mH-o 933.32 50:95.3 MESS-Ne: H. «N0. 3H Heatefi €21.02 0-0-0 News 0.Nmm.H H.e0« N403 ta ENNNH N.» «H. NnH N; 3.2; we . 0.H0 eH-wH-e 0.8.0.83 ”soften: mesa-NEE N.N«e.HNH oestmNH its « N.w0H w-eH-e 93:00.: immunised: HemHamNemH 0. N“ e. eHH New-2: ed «to: 0-mH-N. N.H0«H.$NH toil-NT; s50 «NéNHH ....NHN. 0NH with-NH .10 a H.N0 0-0-H. .05.. 1.002 News 9003 0.NHLH.:.HH twigs: NS 3.3: as « N30 000 509m 90 dead mambo hopflg we send N. 0H- 0. 8e 0530.03. 0.90258 .H. 2a m 2. «Na 3. N Hes 0000 A.0008 m. e a N. was m.NH«0.N$ N.mH ...-N43 NH. 2a m N. .005 mm. a Nee 000s nN003 to a 0.03 N.NH «0.2.3 00Hre.NeN 0H. «3 N, HN. «09m 3. «.36 000N N008 m0 a was 0.2 aHéNm 0.2- News NH. New N ...N. «0.10 N. a u$.0H 0-0H-0 as: 3.1.8 e.NH 208 N. NT... .30 0N. ma .m N. 2.0.0 50. s 0H; 0-0-H. N.HH «0.0:. H. N 3.000 e. N ..N. New NH. «0.... w 0N. 305 HH. a 2.0 0-01. N.HHa0.Noe H. .3.0. an. as.» ..0. N3. HH. «8 m «Names 0H. « Nae e-eH-N as « 9H: a.NHu MN? 5. .- H..0NH. NH. «£5 E. 30.0 2.. a 3.0 e-eH-o H.0 . 053. ms .003. ,N. NN- N. 2m HH. 2.0.0 eHJNNN we. « Hes N-0-0 we « H03. H.HH« e58 N.NH N N03 S. «30 NN. «3:0 3... « 0N:- eH-oH-e $0 a N03 mJHamNme EN 203 NH. «No.0 HN. «0H.N mN. « 0:. e-eH-e N.0 n N.H0H. as: N43 HEN «0.H0H. NH. «Hate NH. «2.0 S. a we; 0-eH-e .3. a 0N2. edH .. tame H0H New.” 00. 30.0 0N. « 3.0 NH. a N0; 00-... 00 .-. $.02. 0:3 N n.0H0 :0 a SHE. 0H. «NM-.0 2.» 3.0 mm. m Hoe 0-0-b figmfideHB .ohd w a n .N H .o>d w a .m .m fl .oz eoeaom mHHoo panda mo 002852 hogan pace pom maqum urPHtu QAMHm .Afltzv means saasaom mHHQomem he 0090H30Hso one? apogee oHpeeoam .eaom oomum some n« nonHawss muoposHpsoo oasswm 2H and Eopa Mo some use mHaoo ponHe mo done one .mpaeam 0m mo same one you nounwwos ma oweaobs one .aonpomop coMHsp meek mowuom wanHeEOa on» no nose scam mpseHm mbfim .0osowpoom one: £0H£3.msopm beam mo oweaope on» 0H moHaom emafim ex» ea nouns mapeeoam ova new? panama goem .m capes ma cacao as weapon nonaaap Inch anon been one 2“ Hmma a“ oaowm one a« macaw 0a03.:0wns_m8opn shapes scam eosflspnc spam .5 capea -26- carbonate resulted in the lowest number of fiber cells. Possibly an increased production of fiber cells depends on a definite ratio of the fertilizer ingredients or a proper balancing of the nutrient elements. In a few cases it appears that potassium did influence the production of fiber cells, but there were instances where just as large increases were secured from nitrogen or phosphorus. THE INFLUENCE OF NUTRIENT CONDITIONS ON THE AREA OF FIBER CELLS OF FLAX PLANTS At the beginning of the experiments reported here, it was not definitely known whether or not the yield of fiber from four to six- week old seedling plants would be representative of the future fiber development of the mature plants. The opinion of some flax breeders has been that there is a critical stage in the development of the flax fiber cells and this is the very early seedling stage. The data pre- sented here show that in field seedling plants even 41 days old, the fiber cells are not far enough along in their development to distinguish more than one-third of them. The development and thickening of the fiber cell walls probably continue almost to the time of the plants' maturity. However, it is believed from.results obtained that even though all the fiber cells in seedling plants cannot be distinguished, the number and area of the ones which can be distinguished is represen- tative of the future fiber development when comparison is made between treatments. The data on the area of fiber cells from plants grown in water cultures are shown in Table 4. In a number of cases treatments re- ceiving one or more salts have a significantly larger fiber area as compared with that of plants grown in tap water. These increases seem -27- to be directly correlated with the increase in the area of stem and the number of fiber cells per stem. As the area of stem increases, the percentage of fiber as measured by cross-sectional area remains approximately the same, but an increase in the area of fiber is ob- tained. Results obtained upon field grown seedling plants and presented in Table 5 show that a difference of approximately 6.5 square centi- meters (magnified) in area of fiber cells is significant. Many of the treatments show even larger differences. The greatest increase above the check plot was caused by the 4-16-8 treatment. This amounted to 53 per cent. The areas of fiber cells in the mature stems are variable, but only one treatment, 4-0-8, appears to have caused a significant increase in area of fiber cells over the check plots. In both the seedling and mature plants the area of fiber cells is closely corre- lated with the area of stem. Therefore, fertilizers tending to increase the area of stem.wou1d also increase the area of fiber cells. THE INFLUENCE OF NUTRIENT CONDITIONS ON THE STEM AREA OF FLAX PLANTS The positive correlation between cross-sectional area of the flax stem.and area of fiber cells has been mentioned. In general then, greater yield of fiber may be expected with such fertilizer applica- tions as effect an increase in area of the stem. In the water culture experiment, the results of which are shown in Table 4, the area of the stem was the greatest, for complete solution treatments, and less for the one- or two-salt culture treatments. The area of the stem for seedling field plants increased with the application of fertilizer, -33- and the 8-16-8 application gave a 45 per cent increase over the check plot. The 8-16-8 application resulted in a slight reduction in area of stem, as compared with the check. THE INFLUENCE OF NUTRIENT CONDITIONS ON THE YIELD OF FIBER IN CUBIC KILLIMETERS OF FLAX PLANTS Naturally the large differences in percentage of fiber, area of fiber cells, and height of plants between the different water cultures shown in Table 4 produced large differences in the yield of fiber, expressed in terms of cubic millimeters per plant. The NZPK culture yielded approximately eight times as much fiber as the one- and two- salt cultures, and 2.25 times that of the ZNPK culture. The NZPK cul- ture when calculated to the fertilizer analysis gives a l.7-30.7-lO.1 ratio. This is low in nitrogen but high in phosphorus and potassium. This represented a total salt concentration much higher than is probably the case in field soils, and the salts were probably in a more available form. The large increase in the yield of fiber in cubic millimeters obtained from several of the water cultures is due largely to the influence of the fertilizer salts on the average height of the plants. In Table 6 a difference of four cubic mfillimeters is significant for most yields of fiber for the seedling field grown plants. This increase was obtained in all of the complete fertilizer plots when compared with the check treatment. The greatest increases were obtained with the 0-16-8, 8-16-8, 4-16-8, and the 4-16-16 treatments. The increase in yields of fiber in cubic millimeters with these three fertilizers averages about 80 per cent and is partly accounted for by the fact that the fertilizers produced taller plants. The variability in the yield of fiber expressed as cubic milli- -39- meters per mature stem for different treatments, as shown in Table 6, is not due so much to the variability in the length of stems as to the area of fiber cells (see Table 7). The average probable errors for yield of fiber in cubic millimeters for these mature stems is 4.4; so it is necessary to have a difference of 20 cubic millimeters, or more, of fiber for the results to be significant. Such large differences be- tween treatments were obtained in only a few cases. Additional data will have to be obtained to understand clearly this problem. A FERTILIZER ANALYSIS FOR FLAX PLANTS Results on seedling plants grown in water cultures and in the field are fairly comparable but the results on mature stems grown in the field are inconclusive. Nevertheless, application of some nitrogen upon the soil used in the field experiments seemed necessary for the best results with seedling plants, though the best results were usually ‘where nitrogen did not exceed four per cent. The data for the field- grown mature plants were inconclusive. Fertilizers high in phosphorus, similar to a 5-28-9 (with one exception), gave the best results in the different series of water cultures. Potassium when applied as a single salt in water cultures gave the highest percentage of fiber in the series in which it was tested. When used in complete nutrient solutions it was present in the highest yielding cultures in concentrations as high as 9 to 11 per cent. In the field fertilizer experiments the best results were usually obtained with an eight per cent potassium treat- ment, while a 16 per cent treatment seemed to be too concentrated. This was also the case in the water cultures where the NPZK solution was so toxic that it killed some of the plants and resulted in a low percentage ‘ . I —L—-'A-“-'_vw— -30- of fiber in those that survived. From all of these results it seems probable that an analysis similar to a 4-16-8 is the most desirable for fiber flax under conditions where little is known regarding the soil requirements. Possibly the phosphorus percentage might be increased for better results but this will have to be tried out under field conditions. SUMMARY Photomicrographs from seedling flax stems prove definitely that the flax fiber cells arise from the pericycle. Flax plants eventually attain the greatest height in short periods (10 hours) of light per day but elongate and mature the quickest in long periods (18 hours) of light per day. The short-day plants yielded eight times as much fiber as the long-day plants. Plants with a gradually lengthening seasonal daylight schedule (13-18 hours) had a high percentage of fiber, a good number of fiber cells, and were plants of good volume. The height of a flax plant more than anything else determines how much fiber it contains. A complete nutrient solution was necessary in water cultures to produce the tallest seedling. Cultures lacking any one of the essential plant food elements for growth showed little difference from one another but did not grow as well as the complete cultures. Nitrogen, particularly in combination with other elements, produced the longest stems in field grown seedling plants, but results from these same fertility plots showed that plants fertilized with phosphorus and potassium equalled or even surpassed the nitrogen plots at maturity. Combinations of potassium and nitrOgen seem to be desir- able for best results. -51- Seedling field-grown plants gave the highest percentages of fiber with the following treatments, 4-0-0, 4-16-0, and 4-16-8. The percent- age of fiber in the mature field-grown plants was twice as great as it was in the seedling plants but another year's results are necessary in order to determine the proper treatment. Some of the results sub- stantiate the conclusions of other workers that phosphorus increases the fiber percentage and that nitrogen decreases it, but there were excep- tions to this rule. Results with water cultures show the necessity of having a complete solution for the best growth of the plant as well as the greatest pro- duction of fiber cells. The number of fiber cells increases after the plant is six weeks old. The number of fiber cells in field grown seedling plants increased with additions of fertilizers, but no signifi- cant increase or decrease was obtained in number of fiber cells in mature stems for any fertilizer treatment when compared with the check. The area of fiber cells, as seen in cross-section, is closely correlated with the area of stem, and fertilizers tending to increase the area of stem.and probably the number of fiber cells will increase the area of fiber cells. water cultures which produced the best yields of fiber were high in phosphorus and medium high in potassium. The 0-16-8, 4-16-8, 8-16-8, and 4-16-16 treatments gave the largest yields of fiber in cubic milli- meters per stem for seedling field-grown flax plants. mature field- grown plants gave the largest yields of fiber in cubic millimeters per stem with the following treatments: 4-0-8, CaCOs 6000 pounds, 0-0-0, and 0-0-8. Medium high yields of fiber in cubic millimeters per stem -32- were obtained with the treatments 4-16-16 and 4-16-8. A study of the various cultures leads to the conclusion that a fertilizer analysis closely approximating a 4-16-8 is the most desirable for fiber flax where little is known regarding the soil requirements. (1) (2) (5) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Adams . JO Bredemann, F, and Fabian, H. DaVin, A. Go Davin, A. G., and Searle, G. 0. Deterre, J. Fabian, B. Cross, M. Herzog, R. 0. Hutchinson, R. J. Kleberger, W3, LITERATURE CITED Duration of light and growth. Annals of Botany _3_§_: 509-523. July, 1924. Der Einfluss der Ernfihrung auf den Fasergehalt und die Faserbeschaffenheit von Bastfaser- pflanzen (Flachs und Nessel). Fortschrifte der Landwirtschaft‘§}406-407. 1928. A.botanical study of the flax plant. V. The effect of artificial fertilizers on the ex- ternal and internal characters of the flax . plant. linen Ind. Res..Assoc. Men. 28. Lambeg, Ireland. (192-). A botanical study of the flax plant. IV.- The inheritance and interrelationship of the principal plant characters. The Journal of the Textile Institute 295107-150. 1925. La Fumure du Lin. L'Engrais 395271-275. 1928. Der Einfluss der Ernghrung auf die wertbes- timmenden Eigenschaften von Bastfaserpflanzen (Flachs und Nessel) unter besonderer Berficksichtigung der Ausbildung ihrer Fasern. Faserforschung Z'(1 and 2). 1928. Stickstoffdfingung und Flachs. Faserforschung 2:37-51, 1925. Technologie der Textilfasern. Der Flachs. V Band, 1. Teil. Berlin, 1930. Report of the Chief Officer of Division of Economic Fibre Production, Dominion Experi- mental Farms. Ottawa, Ontario; 1924-25-26. Ritter, L., and Schbnheit, Fr. Forschungen auf dem.Gebiete der Erzeugung heimischer Spinnpflanzen und der Faserausbeute. Mitt. d. Forsch. Inst. Sorau.§;ll9-123, 158; 1920. <11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) Krafft, G. Kuhnert, R. Kulikova, V. I. Mitrofanov, A. C. Powers, W. L. Renard, K0 Robinson, B. B., and Cook, R. L. Scheel, R. Searle, G. 0. Steigerwald, E. Tammes, T. Tobler, Fr. -33- Die Pflanzenbaulehre. Band 2. Berlin, 1929. Der Flachs, seine Kultur und Verarbeitung. Bd. 3, Berlin, 1920. Effect of different sources of nitrogen on the development of fibre flax. Mem. Inst. Agron. Leningrad 5 (7):91-108. 1929 (Russian with English summary). Flax and Mineral Fertilizers. (Trans. Title). Udobrenie i Urozhai. a (2) 86-93. Moscow, 1930. (Russian) Fertilizers for fiber flax. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. 393755-763. 1928. Beitrage zur experimentellen Erforschung Wesserhaushalt verschiedener Linien des Flachses, Vorlaufige Mitteilung. II Der sogenannten'Bntartung "des Flachses und analytische Aufbau des Blattes und des Stengels. Annalen der Weissruthenischen Staatlichen Academie f. Landw. in Gorky. (Russian with German summary). der The effect of soil types and fertilizer on yield and quality of fiber flax. Journal of the American Society of Agronomy E§}497-510. 1931. Die Ausbildung des Fasergehalts bei Flachs (Linum.usitatissimum) unter verschiedenen wachstumsbedingungen. Landw. Jahrb. 68:489- 523. 1929. “' The mass production of sections of flax stems. JOurnal of the Royal Microscopical Society. 281-288, 1924. fiber den Einfluss von Chlor und magnesium als Nebenbestandteile der Kalisalze auf den 01- und Faserertrag des Flachses. Die Ernahrung der Pflanze 3&3282-284. 1927. Eine statistischanatomische 1907. Der Flachsstengel. Monographie. Haarlem. Der Flachs als Faser- und alpflanze. Berlin,l928. (25) (34) (25) Weck, R. (26) Winter, R. -34- Zur Kenntnis der Wirkung des Kaliums auf den Bau der Bastfaser. Jahrb. Wise. Bot. 71:26-51. 1929. '— Der Einfluss der Kaliums auf die Bildung der Faserzellwand bei Faserpflanzen. Zeitschrift fur Pflanzenernfihrung, Dfingung and Bodenkunde, Teil A, l§3208-214. 1929. Aufarbeitung eines Saatstarken- und Dfingungsversuchs zu Flachs. Faserforschung 3:13-35. 1924. fiber den Ursprung und die Entwicklung der Faser von Linum usitatissimum. Diss. Berlin, 1909. ACKNOWLEDGEENT The writer is grateful to the many workers whose suggestions were used to improve the work presented here. A few men deserve special mention. The writer expresses his gratitude to Mr. J. G. Lill for suggestions and to Professor E. E. Down for use of the Farm Crops Department projection microscope. Special acknowledg- ment is made for help received from Dean E. A. Bessey, Dr. R. deZeeuw, Dr. E. F. Whodcock, and particularly from Dr. R. P. Hibbard under whose supervision the work was conducted. J. . tr“. 3 . f 9.... 1 ...Or . sill dam. . ... 1.... u a r 4 ..,.\ ‘1. ~A “x » ,3. K. rakfi!‘ ...]...‘ll ......IA.J,- . NIVERSITY LIBRARIES MICHIGAN STAT I n IIIIII Illlll 3 1293 03196 7890