Seeds and Their Germination. 



13 



which was pointing upward ? If the caulicles of the bean 

 and scarlet rnnner are an inch or more in length, make dots 

 upon them with a brush and India-ink at equal inter- 

 vals, not much greater than the length of the small let- 

 ters here used. * This will enable you to tell what part grows 

 fastest. Examine the seeds which you are keeping moist 

 in paper, cloths, sawdust, or sand. What position do the 

 caulicles try to take ? Which way do they point ? Are 

 rootlets growing from any of the caulicles ? If so, from 

 what part ? Which seeds have the longest sprouts ? Which 

 have none? Try to flatten the cotyledons of your wilted 

 buckwheat embyro. Take also one of those growing in 

 your experimental dish and try to determine the shape of 

 the cotyledons and how they are folded. Do they fit each 

 other? Are they 

 onesided? 



By cutting and 

 breaking remove 

 the hard coat of a 



pine-nut. A mem- Fig . 9 . A . Nut 



of the Willow, or 



, 



COat COV- Gray-leaf Pine, cut 

 so as to show the 



ers the kernel. 



What is peculiar 



i , i ^ and the cotyledons separated, a. Caulicle. b. Cotyledons. C. 



aDOUt One end.: Germinating nut about to drop the seed-coat from which the 

 cotyledons have absorbed all the endosperm. D. The same with 

 Cllt the COat seed coat removed. 



around lengthwise and split the kernel. Compare what 



* A pen carefully used will do as well as a brush. The point should not quite 

 touch the sprout, for a slight injury causes it to grow abnormally. 



