THE ACORN. 



89 



Black-Oak. 



a texture, that a slight rub would 



be sufficient to break it, yet so 



nicely is it fitted to its shell, that 



the nut may be handled very 



roughly without inj uring it. This 



germ consists of two parts, the 



plume which rises and forms the 



future stem, and the beak or 



radicle which descends and forms 



the root. How surprising is the 



ascent of the one and the descent 



of the other ! It is, in fact, the 



effort of the one to get into the air, and of the other 



to enter the earth. Were they to be placed in an 



inverted position, the result would be the same ; each 



would bend itself toward its proper element. 



Clasping the germ are the 

 two lobes of the kernel, which 

 serve the important purpose of 

 sustaining the life of the plant 

 until it has become sufficiently 

 rooted to derive all its nourish- 

 ment from the soil. 



When through the combined 

 influence of heat and moisture, 

 the germ cracks open the case 

 by which it is confined, it sends 

 down a strong radicle, called a 

 tap-root ; then the two lobes of the kernel separate, 

 and the plume springs out from between them. This 

 consists of two leaves, which soon expand and disclose 

 8* 



Red-Oak. 



