PLANTS AND THEIR SEED 35 



seeds. \ planted deep in the soil will not grow, no 

 matter if supplied with water tnd heat; but on or near 

 urface it sprouts. Air, then, must also.be neces- 

 sary for the sprouting of seeds. By means of a few sim- 

 ple exp e rim ents, detcribed at the end of this chapter, 



anyone may prove for hi- own - £ C 



faction that water, heat, and air 1X6 

 nnosan to sprouting seeds. 



A seed contains not only the 

 young plant or embryo, but a 

 sufficient,, store of food to nourish 

 it until it can take its food from 

 th»- soil. Take a fresh bean and 

 notice how it is divided into two 

 equal parts, joined at one end by a 

 small stem. These two parts arc 



called the -ill. i. i:\vi.-. and con 

 tain a >tore of food sufficient to 



nourish the growing plant until it 

 can feed it-elf through it- roots. 

 I'ilt. l shows a ynim«r bean plant re- 

 cently sprouted; are the seed 

 leaves, and as the plant growl larger 

 they grow -mailer till they are anally- ( 



up and only a wilted shell re- ggff fflff ft ft Xfff| 



ma. ns which S00H falls otT from !i^. K ^SS^V.imw. 



the stem ,,,,,h - ) 



All seeds are provided with a store of food for the 

 use of the young plant, for young plants, like yOUUg 

 animi <>t able to take care of themselves just at 



first 



