324 THE SEASON WHY. 



" O sing unto the Lord a new made song ; for he hath done marvellous things." 

 PSALM xcvm. 



vital instinct which governs its development. The rootlet could 

 more easily grow upward than downward, because of the looser 

 earth, and of the exciting influences of light and moisture. Yet 

 it takes the contrary course, leaving the leaf-germ to come up to 

 meet the sun-light, and to send down to the stem arid roots, the 

 matter needed for their growth. 



Frequently, indeed, when seeds are thrown into the earth, their 

 natural position is reversed, and when the germs first start from 

 the seed, the root-germ is directed upward and the leaf-germ, 

 downward. What then occurs? They each turn, and, in doing 

 so, frequently cross each other. Each goes to its particular duty 

 the duty that God appointed. 



CHAPTER LXV. 



1286. Why are the seeds of plants indigestible ? 



Because they are encased in a hard covering upon which the 

 gastric juice of animals takes no effect. This provision has been 

 made by the Creator, for the preservation of seeds, the productions 

 of which are so essential to animal life. 



The gastric juice can dissolve' any other part of the plant, even 

 the woody fibre, and yet upon the seed it takes no effect. When, 

 however, the seed is crushed, and, thereby, the vital principle de- 

 stroyed, so that no plant can spring from it, the gastric juice acts 

 upon it, and it is soon dissolved. 



Hence graminivorous birds are provided with gizzards to break 

 the protecting coats of the grain ; and animals that feed on seeds 

 and nuts strip them of their shells and husks. 



It is remarkable that in the succulent fruits, such as the straw- 

 berry, the raspberry, currant, apple, orange, melon, &o., and 

 which, from their very nature, are likely to attract animals to use 

 them, and in eating which the seeds are likely to be swallowed, they 

 are fortified by a doubly-protective coating ; the pips of the apple, 

 orange, &c., and the seeds of the strawberry and raspberry, pnss 

 through the digestive organs, not only unharmed, but their 



