20 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



Purpose of Seeds. — A true seed bears within its coats 

 a minute plant called the germ. Its purpose is to develop 

 into a new plant like the parent plant. Some nourishment 

 is stored in the seed for the use of the young plant when it 

 begins to grow. This store of nourishment in the bean is 

 in the two seed leaves or thickened halves of the bean. In 

 the corn kernel a store of starchy matter is found about the 

 germ. 



Exercise. — Study of Seeds. — Soak some large lima beans 

 and some kernels of corn for a few days. Let each member 

 of the class find the little plant inside the bean coats; and 

 the long oval germ of the corn imbedded in the store of 

 starchy matter. Other large seeds may be soaked and studied 

 closely. 



Duration of Life. — With respect to their length of life 

 most farm plants are divided into three groups: annuals , 

 biennials, and perennials. 



Annual plants are illustrated by corn, oats, beans, and 

 peas. They germinate, grow, blossom, bear seed, and die 

 within one year. No part lives over to the next year but the 

 seed. 



Biennials are not so numerous among farm crops. Exam- 

 ples are beets, carrots, parsnips, onions, and cabbage. They 

 germinate, grow, and store a large supply of nourishment 

 the first year. The second year they use up this store of 

 nourishment, send up a flower stalk, produce flowers and 

 seed, and then die. Only the seed lives over. 



Perennials include many of the grasses, alfalfa, trees, 

 shrubs, and many others. They germinate and grow for 

 some time without bearing blossoms and seeds. When old 

 enough they begin blossoming and bearing fruit. This may 

 continue year after year for several or many years. The 

 peach tree bears some fruit the second or third year and 

 dies after ten or fifteen years. The apple tree does not bear 

 so young but lives much longer. 



