SEEDLINGS, FOODSTORES AND GERMINATION. y'J 



especially abundant in spring just before the leaves 

 appear. At that season from i to 4 lbs. of sugar can 

 be obtained from each tree. Grape sugar is unusual in 

 food reserves, but occurs in bulbs. Roots of Dahlias and 

 other Compositae contain a peculiar substance, ''Hnulinr 

 Fats and oils are very common in seeds ; Rape-seed, 

 Linseed, Castor oil, Cotton-seed, Palm oil, etc., being 

 perhaps the most important kinds. 



One substance found in stem shoots may be here 

 mentioned, namely, asparagin, which is the chief in- 

 gredient of young, asparagus shoots. 



Seeds are protected against their enemies in various 

 ways. The Lufa or Loofah commonly sold in shops has 

 an extraordinary arrangement, probably intended to 

 protect the seeds. The fruit is originally similar to 

 that of the cucumber ; but the fleshy matter has been 

 removed, and the veins or water vessels, which were 

 used to carry food material to the seeds, have become 

 tough, wiry strings, which form a sort of entanglement 

 protecting the seeds within. The three carpels can 

 generally be quite easily distinguished. 



One of the most curious methods of protecting the 

 seeds is that of the Cyclamen ; when the capsule is ripe 

 and full of seeds a peculiar coiling up of the flower 

 stalk begins. It turns downwards and becomes spirally 

 coiled ; after a time the capsule is found to have been 

 actually buried in the earth at a short distance from 

 the parent. The Cyclamen, therefore, sows its seeds 

 itself The Creeping Jenny {Linaria cymbalarid) also 

 hides its seeds in crannies of the walls, where they 

 ultimately take root and grow. 



These, however, are exceptional cases. The common 

 methods of safeguarding the seed are as follow : (i) by 

 means of hard woody shells, (2) by poisons or bitter 



