Elementary Work in Botany. 



from swollen and sprouting seeds to stems, which are just 



pushing their bowed leaf-heads into the 



sunlight. Here, then, is material from 



which you may learn how plants grow; a 



lesson, remember, which no text-book or 



schoolmaster can teach you. It will be 



easier, however, since most of these early 



wild plants come from very small seeds, to 

 take your first lessons from 

 plants which have made a 

 larger growth while con- 

 nected with the mother 

 plant.* In other words, it 

 will be better to study 

 large seeds and their first 

 growth {germination) be- 

 fore you work upon seed- 

 ling weeds. If you begin to take lessons 



of plants in the latter part of the rainy 



season, look for sprouting seeds of fruit 



trees in orchards or back yards where the 



pits have been scattered. You must have 



wondered how tender sprouts can get out of 



such hard shells as apricot or cherry stones. 



If you know where there are buckeye trees, 



Fig. 3. Black walnut 

 germinating, showing 

 flat inner surface of one 

 cotyiedon. About half 

 natural diameter. 



Fig. 4. California 

 laurel. Seedling 

 planted wrong end up, 

 making it necessary 

 for both sprouts to 

 turnaround, a a. The 

 first sprout forming 

 the root. p. The sec- 

 ond sprout beginning 

 to form the tree trunk. 

 c c. Cotyledons, s. The 

 shell, which does not 

 split smoothly as does 

 the walnut. 



try to find the 



*The real beginning of a plant's life history is not the sprouting seed. The 

 exercise tells of its growth in the seed coat while fed by the mother plant. 

 Indeed, an introduction is needed in which we are told how the mother plant pre- 

 pares for the growth of seeds. 



