_ 3 _ 
     
    
   
   
    
     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.