9 



Fig. 5 is a cross section of the seed exhibiting the young 

 germ or plant at a : the food stored up for its use at h ; and 



the fiber d grow- 

 ing from the out- 

 er surface of the 

 seed coat c. When 

 the germ a begins 

 to enhxrge under 

 the influence of 

 the moisture of 

 the soil and the 

 invigorating 

 power of the sun's 

 rays, it bre aks 

 the coat or "hull" 

 c and starts with 

 its leaves towards 

 the light. In this 

 young stage of its 

 growth it lives upon the delicate food prepared and' stored 

 up by its parent plant at h. When this food is exhausted 

 the young plant is old enough to take care of itself and 

 drink in through its roots and assimilate the food materials 

 from the soil in which it is growing. 



It will be readily understood from the foregoing how im- 

 portant it is to have pollen grains of the best character and 

 a well developed pistil, if we expect to secure high grade 

 fiber. Inferior plants cannot produce healthy organs and 

 superior seed, any more than inferior grades of stock can 

 produce fine blooded cows and horses. So little attention 

 is paid to this subject by planters generally no comparative 

 estimate can be made on the results after the seed are 

 planted. The farmer does not know whether the seed came 

 from first-class plants or not ; whether they are good, bad 

 or indifferent. No attempt is made to select the seed, but 

 good, bad and worthless are planted in the drill together. 

 When the plants are ready to bloom the inferior as well as 



