EXPKIJIMEXT STATION IJKl'oirr. .-.i:} 



fastened to the inner coat, and as this coat is in close contact with 

 the thick outer covering throughout its whoh^ surface, it is easy to 

 see that the peg in question has a linn attachment to the seed-coats 

 as a wlioh^. As soon as tliis peg has been develojx'd and its attach- 

 ment to the coat is secured, the seedling is in readiness to extricate 

 itself from the thick and now worthless covering. 'J'he root continues 

 to strike downward into the soil for support and ainlioragc. and pro- 

 duces lateral roots at ]na]iv })oints on its way. The poi'tion of stem 

 above the peg, and between it and tiie cotyledons, which until now 

 has been in comparative repose, l)egins to elongate. As the increase 

 in length of this part of the stem continues, a loop is necessarily 

 produced, the sharpest curve of which is outward from the seed-coats 

 and u{)ward from the ])eg. By continuing this elongation it is evi- 

 dent that so long as the peg holds on to the seed-coats the only part 

 to give away is the cotyledon, and, as the result, these seed-coats are 

 slowly a)ul effectually withdrawn from their coats. Before this de- 

 sired end is reached the loops may extend an inch or more above the 

 seed-coats. In short, the soil is broken Ijy the sharply-folded upjxr 

 end of this loop, and not long after this the cotyledons are lifted out 

 of the earth and raised to an upright ])osition in the air and sun- 

 shine." 



The most advantageous ])osition for the seed in wliich to remove 

 its seed-coats in germination lias been sought for bv extended ti'ials. 

 When, for example, the seed is ])lanted with its root end downward. 

 the seed-leaves, in many cases, will come above ground still within 

 their coats, and such ])lants are sadly handicapped for further growth. 

 A worse position is when the root end of the seed is ])laced ujiward, 

 and particularly so when this end is near the surface of the ground. 

 With these the young root must elongate upward for some distance, 

 until it can make a turn downward, and this may bring it into the 

 free air, when its moist, delicate substance is derived, and the seedling 

 frequently jserishes. The striving of these ill-placed seeds for a root- 

 hold in the earth are sometimes painfully amusing. Seeds, when 

 placed edgewise in the soil, must develop very wide i)egs, that they 

 may thereby catch and hold the edges of both halves of the seed-coats, 

 and there may be a failure in tliis and the seed-coats are brought to 

 the surface upon the cotyledons. 



"There is a very practical l«'aring of the<e experinu'uts upon the 

 work of seed sowing. It is a common ])ra{tice among gardeners and 



33 



