50 :fiSotans 



lemon. This bright green produced far from light 

 within the unbroken skin of a lemon that had for 

 weeks been packed in tissue paper, cork shavings, 

 and a box, was very remarkable. In this case the 

 juice of the lemon had supplied all needed moisture 

 for germination. 



The food of the lemon plantlet is in the thick 

 cotyledons formed of the halves of the seed. Such 

 cotyledons are strong, and when planted in earth are 

 able to come to the surface uninjured. The cot3de- 

 dons of the morning-glory, on the other hand, are 

 very delicate, and having fed on the small amount of 

 food stuff laid up in the seed, they would be broken 

 as the}^ emerged from the ground were it not that they 

 remain folded flat together with the seed husk, cap- 

 like, over their united tips. This cap serves them as 

 nails serve the toes of digging animals, or as the hard 

 cap at the tip of the rootlet serves the rootlet, pro- 

 tecting it from injury as it pushes through the earth. 

 When these cotyledons reach the surface the sap ex- 

 pands them, they cast off the husk-cap, and spread 

 apart. There are no prettier seedlings to study than 

 a flax plant, beech-nut, and morning-glor}^ 



The grain of Indian corn gives us another style of 

 germination. The lower portion is soft and floury, 

 of a sweetish taste ; the upper part is almost horny. 

 As the corn softens and begins to germinate you can 



