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Most of these organisms are lying in wait for the plant's old age. When the plant has matured they begin to grow and reproduce very rapidly and start the process of decay on the leaf. At this pOint, their presence is visible without a microscope, they are the moulds which grow on old leaves in the fall. They have been there throughout the life of the plant, subsisting on small amounts of substances excreted from the leaf. These organisms are known collectively as, the microflora of the leaf.
Roots also have their microflora. The surfaces of roots are very busy places, with food substances going in and leaking out at a rapid rate. Many different kinds of bacteria and fungi live on the surface of the roots taking advantage of and in some cases assisting in the traffic of nutrients. Two of these organisms in particular are very beneficial to the plant: nitrogen fixing bacteria and the mycorrhiza. Nitrogen fixing bacteria live in nodules on the root surface which act as miniature fertilizer factories. The bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrate, an essential nutrient for the plant. Mycorrhiza are fungi which live in the root and have a number of beneficial functions, the most important of these is to help the plant obtain the phosphate it needs for growth from the soil surrounding the roots.
So, remember when you do your transplanting this spring, that you are picking up a cosmopolitan community of which your plant is just one part.
Katherine Clough 55 Fitzroy Street Charlottetown
Environment Week Walks May 12—19, 1979
May 13. Sunday. Evening walk to Royalty Oaks. Meet at 6:00 pm at Royalty Oaks parking lot for a tour of the stand of giant Oaks.
Leader - Rosemary Curley.
May 14. Monday. Evening walk to Deroche. Meet at 6:00 pm at U.P.E.I. Visitors parking lot. Leader — to be announced.
May 16. fibdneaknn Early morning bird walk at Upton Farm, North River. Meet at 6:30 am at Upton Farm. Leader - Winston Johnston.
May 17. Thurainn Waterfowl watch at Indian River. Meet at Three Oaks High School parking lot at 5:45 pm Leader - David Smith
May 19. Samuflay. Children's walk at the National Park. For further information, call Andre at 892-9174.
New Directions of the Rural Beautification Society
"The fairest land 'tis possible to see" was said, in truth, over four hundred years ago when the Island was undisturbed by man. The Rural Beautification Society of P.E.I. thinks that this could again be said, truthfully, of our Island by the turn of the century. Attaining such a goal requires careful planning and effort on the part of the Society and all leaders in the environmental field. People in all areas of the Island will have to be inspired and encouraged to work toward this goal.