THE BIRTH-PLACE OF THE SEED. 5 
to the presence of a multitude of minute cells, 
which, bursting, scatter around more cells, and 
these more again. This is a plant; and here 
too, if we choose, might we watch the birth of 
vegetable life. 
Since then, the birth-place of the seed is so 
various, since it is the order of Nature and in- 
deed the custom of man, to assign differences of 
locality, and differences of external conditions, to 
the early homes of vegetables, we may find in- 
teresting matter for a little thought in examining 
these circumstances in brief, ere we look at life’s 
beginnings in the seed itself. We may look 
upon the earth as a great garden, in the countless 
plots of which millions of plants and trees live 
and die in a variety of conditions, all of which 
deserve our attention, although only a few, and 
these very imperfectly, can obtain room in this 
little work. In an ordinary flower-garden it is 
well known that different seeds demand different 
treatment : some may be cast upon the surface, 
and left to take their course; others must be 
watched, nurtured, and tended with the utmost 
care; some require heat, others do not; and some 
require much moisture, while others will be con- 
