XTbe tbope ot l^ears to Come 51 



see the swollen embryo or germ lying against the 

 food stuff, which is the larger part of the seed.. The 

 embryo has one thick cotyledon, and two slim leaves 

 twisted together inside this one cotyledon, which 

 wraj^s about them. When the husk is finally 

 broken the first leaf springs up and, unfolding, sends 

 up two others, which grow fast, while the first leaf 

 does not expand any more, but remains as a sheath 

 and support for further growth. The husk and coty- 

 ledon lie at the base of the stem until they are finally 

 dried up. 



The Jack-in-the-pulpit springs from a hard, small 

 seed, and has but one cotyledon. This seed-leaf has 

 but a small amount of nutriment in it, and that little 

 is soon exhausted. Now we must remember that 

 Jack possesses a fleshy corm or underground stem, 

 which prepared food stores during the previous 

 summer. 



Before the one seed-leaf perishes the little roots 

 about this corm are bravely at work to give the 

 plant a fair start in life, sending up its big, glossj^ 

 green leaves. Then the leaves, the corm, and the 

 rootlets, all working in harmony, are able to provide 

 food enough for the large, thick top and its great 

 club-like flower cluster. The green leaves of the 

 arum, or Jack-in-the-pulpit, come early in the spring, 

 in advance of most herbage. They would be de- 



