12 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



From Seed to Seedling and Planting 



DR. E. BADE 



ALOXCi ihf old dirt road which winds itself throu.L^li 

 meadows and fields, a bean has been lustily climli- 

 ing upon the rough rail fence through the Suni- 

 nur months. How it ever came to this lonely spot, for- 

 saken by all its kind, who knows? At any rate it was 

 still here in the Fall sturdily, twining itself about the 

 woodwork, still dowering indefatigably. It ripened its 

 fruits which were tilled with seeds and had no thought 

 for the coming Winter. The first frost of the Fall at- 

 tacked its vital spark of life, bringing it to its death in 

 one night. The moisture was taken from the leaves by 

 the moodv winds. The Autumn sun burned everything 

 brown, even the seed shells and after they were com- 

 pletely dried, thev burst. Loosely and white, like shining 

 teeth,' the full fniit hung: for their production, the entire 

 life of the plant was devoted. Although the old Dlant 



the seed coat bursts ; the tiny root peeks shyly forth, and 

 as they grow larger, they seek for the easiest and quickest 

 way of disappearing into the soil. 



It makes no difference in what position the seed may 

 lie, the root always grows downward. If the seed should 

 lie in such an awkw-ard position that the root must grow 

 upward in order to grow out of the seed, then it grows 

 in a semicircle back to the earth as if it were afraid of 

 the sun. The primary roots have the power of growing 

 downward. This is the result of gravity acting on all 

 parts of the plant organism, and this force requires a 

 growth in the direction of the earth's center, growth in 

 a vertical direction. If under any circumstances the 

 root should be placed in a horizontal position, then the 



Germinating bean sect! bri-aking 

 through the soil. 



The bean /it'o days later. 



The gerniiuatinii seed four days after 

 hreakini^ lh<iinL:h the soil. 



died in its fidl developnient, it had accom]>lislied ils |)ur- 

 pose in life and the next year will see still more beans 

 twining their green vines about the old fence. 



It is a ])eculiar thing, such a seed. When taken in 

 the hand and examined, it does not show the least trace 

 of life ; it seems to be a dead thing, no more alive than 

 the frost killed mother plant. In spite of this the seed is 

 not dead : but only awaiting more favorable conditions 

 under which it can unfold itself. For this dormant life 

 in the seed, the mother plant has fully provided and 

 has worked diligently to give the seed everything that 

 the young seedling may require during the first stages of 

 its life. The embryo is the only thing which is tiny but 

 the food cotvledons l>etween which the seedling is placed, 

 are large and rich. This tiny embryo has its root, stem, 

 and a pair of leaves. 



The cold winds of northern storms and the Winter's 

 icy breath pass the seed uninjured. I'.ut when the air is 

 balmy and warm, when Siting loosens the moist and 

 frozen soil, then is the period for germination. The 

 seed cagerlv absorbs all available moisture : it swells : 



force of gravity, acting <in llie growing cell> whicli lie 

 just back of the root li]). [iroduce a cnr\alurc in \hv root 

 so that it grows downw.'ird again. 



The root is afraid of, and always turns away from, 

 the light. Hut that region of the root which perceives 

 the force of gravity is entirely difierenl from that part 

 of the root which resolves the force, or the response of 

 this stimulus into action. 



Only the youngest cells of the cylindrical root tip are 

 sensitive to gravity as well as chemical and physical 

 stimuli. This section is only a few millimeters in length, 

 and the response is found at a ])lace about one quarter 

 of an inch above the i)lace of stimulation. Here the root 

 is curved so that it points downward, and this is accom- 

 l)lished by an unef|ual growth of tlie upper ;ind kiwer 

 epidermal root cells. The tip of the root is jirotected 

 by a root cap wliich is similar in shajie to the thimble 

 of the dressmaker, and il protects the delicate tissues 

 as it jienetrates (he soil. 



The roni fulfills a two-fold duty for the plant: b'irst. 

 i\ anchors lo the soil, and second, it absorbs soil moisture 



