258 



GLIMPSES IX TO PLANT-LIFE 



learn something of the behaviour of seeds during 

 their early stages of growth. Each seed that we 

 thus stud}' ma\' be regarded by us as a type of 

 many others. First, then, we will sow, in a few 

 pots, about a dozen broad beans ; before doing so 

 we ma)' notice on the seed the black stripe or 



Soil Ic-vd. -._. 



I5KOAD BEANS. 



ridge known as the /a'/uw ; this is the scar showing 

 where the seed was attached to the pod, and at 

 one end of it is the micropyle (small gate). If we 

 remove the skin of the seed we shall observe the 

 two fleshy cotyledons or .seed leaves, a tiny point 

 which is the rudimentary root, and, lying close to 

 the inner face of the cotyledon, the slightly curved 



