PABT8 OP A PLANT 39 



sprouts. The plant never makes a mistake in starting 

 to grow; the roots always go into the soil and the 

 and leav< 1 to the light and air above. Why they do this 



■ not know, hut ire do know that the roots ke. 

 growing into the soil, spreading out in search of food 

 and water and taking a firm hold to 

 support the stem and leaves above. At 

 first, as you have been told, the food- 

 1 op in the seed feeds the young 

 plant. Lat<r on, when the plant be- 

 comee stronger, it feeds itself through 

 the roots and leav< 



37. Roots. — We all recognise the 

 great variety of leaves produced by 

 different kinds of plants, but the r 

 buried beneath the ground are "less 

 familiar, and while not nearly so varied 

 in appearance as the leaves, are of many 

 kinds and shapes. Many plants are pro- 

 vided with one large main root, which 

 goes deep into the soil. This root is 

 called the TAPBOOT, and its branehes 

 : are called lateral Boon. Fig. 4 shows 

 ft?LVfaoto" *bv taproot of a salsify plant. When 

 * mph ' the taproot i< enlarged, as in the salsify 



and turnip, it is called a fleshy root. 



Instead of one main root, many plants have a number 

 of roots of equal site. Pig. 5 shows the roots of a corn 

 plant. Such roots are known as clustered or GROWS 

 anon. When they are enlarged! as in the sweet potato, 

 Fig. G, they are called tuberous. Lateral, or side 



