SECOND GRADE SPRING WORK 115 



also the positions of the blossoms, whether on the outer or 

 inner twigs, and account for this. Note what becomes of 

 the blossoms, and what follows them. As the season ad- 

 vances, measure the rate of the growth of twigs. 



Do twigs bearing fruit grow as rapidly as those on the 

 same tree bearing no fruit? Explain. Do twigs grow in 

 length only at the ends? Measure the internodes at inter- 

 vals of a week or so, and find out. 



LESSON XXXIX 

 THE CHEMISTRY OF GERMINATION 



Experiment i. Put a small quantity of salt, of sugar, of 

 sand, of starch, and of flour into separate test tubes. Add a 

 little water to each, and shake vigorously. Which dissolve ? 

 Which simply mix ? What is the difference between dissolv- 

 ing and mixing ? Which, then, will not dissolve in water ? 



Experiment 2. Add a drop of tincture of iodine to the 

 starch, and note the dark purple color produced. Add in the 

 same way a drop to each of the solutions, and note which 

 will turn purple and which will not. This is a simple test 

 for starch. Mash wheat, corn, beans, and various food seeds ; 

 also potato, beet, etc., and add to each a little water in a 

 test tube, and test as above. Starch may be detected in this 

 way in a great many articles of food. 



Experiment 3. Let pupils taste seeds they have been 

 watching germinate. Does the taste of the seeds change 

 when they begin to grow? In what way? What do you 

 think makes them sweet ? Of what is sugar made in the 

 sugar factory? Is there any starch in beets? The teacher 

 may tell pupils that starch may be changed to sugar, and 



