26 LIFE OF A TREE. 
maltster’s, and get permission to look at the grain 
he is making into malt, in its different states, we 
shall enjoy an excellent opportunity of seeing 
how the process goes on. Here it will be seen 
that large masses of barley, which have previously 
been moistened with water, are strewed upon a 
brick-floor. The room is entirely dark, for, strange 
to say, seeds will not begin to grow in the light ! 
as if they were sensible that they were not in 
their proper place when exposed to the glare of 
day; and, by means of holes cut in the walls and 
door, air is admitted in sufficient quantity. The 
ordinary warmth of the air is sufficient for the 
purpose of causing the seed to grow. 
Seeds placed in this condition, if still alive, 
cannot fail shortly to manifest the fact by begin- 
ning to swell and soften, and put forth the young 
plants. This process is called germination. It 
is, in fact, the awakening of the powers of life 
in the seed, and their developement into the pro- 
duction of a new and beautiful beig—the in- 
fant plant. On examining the barley, Ist. it will 
be found that it has absorbed or drunk in all 
the moisture which was thrown upon it. On 
putting the hand into the midst of the grains, 
