The composition of any class of plants varies considerably in
different localities and in different seasons. This may be due to
the nature of the soil, or to the fertilizer applied, though
variations in plant composition resulting from soil conditions are
comparatively small. The greater variations are almost wholly the
result of varying climate and water supply. As far as it is now
known the strongest single factor in changing the composition of
plants is the amount of water available to the growing plant.
Variations due to varying water supply
The Utah station has conducted numerous experiments upon the effect
of water upon plant composition. The method in every case has been
to apply different amounts of water throughout the growing season on
contiguous plats of uniform land. [Lengthy table deleated from this
edition.] Even a casual study of . . . [the results show] that the
quantity of water used influenced the composition of the plant
parts. The ash and the fiber do not appear to be greatly influenced,
but the other constituents vary with considerable regularity with
the variations in the amount of irrigation water.
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