14 Elementary Work in Botany. 



you see with the figure on page 13. The embryo is 

 surrounded by a substance which is evidently not a coat. 

 Which end of the embryo is next to the cap of the kernel ? 

 Which is the larger, the embryo or the endosperm ? Take 

 the embryo out of its bed of endosperm. Separate and count 

 the cotyledons. Is your pine-nut the same kind as the one 

 figured on page 13 ? Do the embryo and endosperm have the 

 same taste ? Which is the larger ? What substance makes 

 a large part of the endosperm ? Is there any of this sub- 

 stance in the embryo ? 



EXERCISE 7. 



Look at the beans in the jar and note their growth. 

 Study one of the castor-beans as you did the pine-nut. 

 Find the hilum near the white projection (caruncle) at one 

 end, and the chalaza at the other. A ridge or thread called 

 the raphe connects them. With care you can 

 get the embryo out as shown at b in the 

 figure. Compare this embryo with that of a 

 sunflower. Taste the ernbrvo and endosperm 



Fig. 10. a. Cas- 



tor-bean cut so as separately, being careful not to swallow the 



to shove the em- J ' 



former. Taste the shell. Which of the three 



has a pleasant taste ? Examine the embryo 

 with a lens and draw the magnified view of it. Why have 

 not the castor-beans and pine-nuts sprouted ? What do 

 you know about the uses of these seeds ? Have you known 

 animals to be poisoned by eating castor-beans ? Look up 

 " castor-bean " in a cyclopedia. Make a list of all the new 

 words you have learned in these exercises. 



