( 

 THE FLOWERING PLANTS. 19 



of the food of the plant enters through the leaves. If you 

 find that some of the lower leaves are not so well devel- 

 oped as the later ones, consider the cotyledons and see if 

 you can give any reason for the difference. 



11. Draw one of the latest formed leaves of each seed- 

 ling, showing the venation, or arrangement of the veins, 

 in each. Are the leaves netted-veined, i.e., do the veins 

 form interlacing network, or are they parallel-veined, 

 i.e., do the veins run parallel, or nearly parallel, to one 

 another ? Netted- veined leaves are characteristic of the 

 Dicotyledons. Parallel-veined leaves are, in general, 

 characteristic of the Monocotyledons. 



12. Consider the shapes of the different leaves. Find, 

 by consulting the figures and descriptions in Gray's 

 "Manual of Botany," what names are applied to the 

 different shapes. Also consider the edges of the leaves 

 and find what names are used to designate them. 



13. Examine the venation, shape, and edges of the 

 leaves of a number of common plants, e.g., House Gera- 

 nium (Pelargonium), Wild Geranium, India Rubber Plant, 

 Willow, Maple, Horse-chestnut, Birch, Apple, Beech, 

 Elder, Oak, Cherry,. Lilac, Currant, Loosestrife, Begonia, 

 etc. Find names to describe the shapes and edges of each. 

 Twigs of many of the common trees will put forth their 

 leaves even in midwinter, if they are placed with their cut 

 ends in water in warm places. 



14. Examine the vernation of the leaves of the plants 

 mentioned in Number 13 and of other similar plants. 

 Vernation is the name applied to the arrangement of the 

 undeveloped leaf in the bud. Dissect some of the buds, 

 cut some transversely, some longitudinally, examine with a 

 magnifying glass, and consult Gray's " Manual of Botany" 

 for the names given to the different shapes found. This 

 study should be made on buds just ready to open in the 

 spring or on those forced to open. 



