164 



GROWTH OF SEEDS. 



style, and touches the nerve of life in the heart of the seed; 

 but this vessel shoots forth in the most surprising degree, 

 forming directly a species of circular hook within the void; 



fills the void w hj c h } Q j ess than two days is often completely filled, though 



when the sta- .,, , , • r i . > 



mens are ripe. lt na d perhaps lain tor many weeks before in an absolute 



torpor. This circular nerve is soon covered by an excres- 

 cence that hides it; but if the corculum is divided with a 

 tine lancet, the circular hook is discoverable, till the young 

 plant is near leaving its cradle or seed. At the turn of the 

 hook the cotyledons grow, and the root shoots from the 

 curved end. 

 Changeofpos- The plant may be now said to lie in the seed in a con- 

 the e S eed. eaVinS trar y direction from that in which it will at a future time 

 grow, since the root is above, and the stem below : but 

 Nature has provided for their change of place, since it is 

 effected as they leave the seed. I have mentioned before, 

 Nourishment that the nourishment of the infant plant is medicated be- 

 oft e plant. ^ween tne juice brought in the nourishing vessels, and the 

 peculiar spot in the seed. This lia/uid continues to abound, 

 indeed the infant plant may be said to repose in it, till the 

 root has opened the whole, qr part of the seed. The root 

 Root strings then changes its direction, and runs into the earth, soon 



pump up the forming a number of stringy hairs, which serve as so manv 

 nourishment. ,iti • i n -. 



suckers to draw the liquid nourishment from the earth* 



while the plant quickly shows, by the rapid progress it 



makes, the advantage it receives from its change of diet ; 



for it soon raises itself from its prostrate posture, emerges 



from the seed, and is now seen in its proper direction. 



Prove tlve I would not interrupt my account of the growth of the 



sexual system, young plant, though my letter was written merely to detail 



the first steps, which are I believe unknown, but which; 



confirm I think most thoroughly the sexual system, though 



some of the syngenesian orders give, if possible, a more 



convincing proof of it. The pistil runs up from the seed, 



being mostly single; and the juice of the pistil has no other 



way of reaching the pointal but passing through the seed, 



which it does without producing any effect, or tilling up the 



vacancy at the top of the corculum. But no sooner does 



this same juice get mixed with the flower of the pollen, 



which dissolves in it, than the void becomes filled, the 



hook 



