So the leaves act as stomachs, and digest the starch they have made for the plant’s use. In them, in some wonderful way, the starch is changed into sugar, and some mineral matter from the humus soup is mixed with the sugar. This combination forms a perfect food, ready for the plant to make into new growth.
“Isn’t it a wonderful story?” asked Bouncing Bet, as she finished speaking.
“It’s the most surprising garden story I’ve yet heard,” declared Mary Frances.
“I’ll never, never think of leaves again as just ‘for shade,’” declared Eleanor. “But I’m glad they do give shade,” she added.
“Trees give a great deal of shade,” said Bet, “because they expose as large a surface of leaves as possible to the sun. On a large tree, nearly half an acre of leaf surface may be in the sunlight at once.”
“And the sunlight turns the grinding-stones of the leaf-mill,” said Mary Frances softly.
“And they make food for the tree,” Eleanor whispered.
“Sometimes a plant does not need for immediate use all the food the leaves have made,” Bet continued, “so it stores it away for future use: sometimes, in roots; sometimes, in leaves; sometimes in other parts of the plant—as in the grains of wheat.”
“I wonder how the storage places look,” said Eleanor.
Bet laughed. “You’ve often seen some of them,” she said. “When you eat turnips and beets, you are eating the food stored in the roots of these plants. When you use onions, you are using food stored in leaves.”
Mary Frances thought the fairy had made a mistake, and Bet seemed to read her thought.
“Oh, no,” she laughed, “I’m not mistaken. You see, the bulb of the onion is made up of the thickened lower ends of the leaves, the top green parts of which have dried off.”
“It is interesting,” she went on, “to see how quickly the plants which have stored food begin to grow when put into the warm place. It is because of this fact that bulbous flowers are the first to bloom in the Spring. They do not have to make food to begin to grow, for their food is ready for use, and just a little warmth and moisture will start them.”
“Oh, I see why crocuses, and hyacinths, and tulips bloom so early,” said Mary Frances.
“Yes,” nodded Bet, “and it is an interesting experiment to make a carrot hanging basket. Cut the top off a large carrot and scoop out a hollow. Fill the hollow with water, and hang the carrot in a warm room. The beautiful green leaves will soon grow, using the material stored in the root for food.” Just at this point, Jack stepped forward.