THE CUCUMBER AND GOURD FAMILY 



73 



veloped (fig. 75, 2). After that, the part of the stalk hetween the 

 root and the seed-hud (hypocotyl) begins to grow, hut as the 

 root is nioored in the ground and the seed-shells stick firmly ta 

 the earth, the stalk becomes a small bow, bent upwards (fig. 75, 3) 



Fig'. 75. — Germination of the Cucumber 



until, by its continued grow^th, it draws the seed-leaves out of the 

 seed-shells. In this process the hypocotyl is aided by a swelling 

 just above the root which keeps the lower half of the seed-case 

 (testa) down, and disappears again after the cotyledons are liber- 

 ated from the seed-case. If some seed are similarly laid on the 

 ground, but freed from the sticky mass round them, they also 

 germinate after a short time, but as the seed-shells are not gummed 

 to the earth, the stalk lifts them up, and as the seed-leaves can 

 get rid of their covers only with great difficulty, the plants may 

 perish. This shows how important it is for the seed to be 

 provided with that sticky pulp. 



The fruit does not open by itself to let the seeds escape. 

 For this purpose the help of man is required in the cultivated 

 kinds, and that of animals in wild ones. Like numerous other 

 plants whose seeds are dispersed by animals, the Cucumber has 

 a fleshy, edible imlp which attracts animals, in addition to the 

 jelly-like pulp. When, for instance, a jackal eats such a fruit, many 

 seeds, to be sure, will be devoured together with the pulp. The 

 number of seeds, however, being very great, this is not a serious 

 loss. On the other hand, some seeds will stick to its mouth and 

 legs, and will thus be spread far and wide. 



