58 



ception in regard to the somewhat mysterious process of 

 the growth oi the embryo plant within the seed, by giving 

 an extract from Mr. Ferguson's instructive book on "Coffee 

 Liberica." 



" The first, second and third structures of this series 

 " belong to the fruit whereas the others viz; the testa, 

 (( the albumen and the embryo are essentially part of the 

 " seed. The uses of the various structures which surround 

 r> the minute embryo are to protect it from injury and at 

 " the same time supply it with suitable nourishment. * * * 



" In the economy of plant life the albumen is a pa- 

 " fcrimony which the young embryo is supposed to utilize 

 " and adapt for the purposes of its growth and develop- 

 " ment in fact it is a supply of food specially and wisely 

 " adapted to promote its first impulses of lite and energy. 

 " When examined under a microscope the albumen consists 

 " of a number of cells, with walls more or less thick, forming 

 " a store house of nourishment in the form of starchy 

 " compounds, volatile oil and other vegetable products. 

 " If in a fresh mature bean we cut rather obliquely towards 

 " its base, we shall come upon a small cylindrical body corn- 

 " pletely invested by the tissue of the albumen. It is about 

 " one third the length of the bean and looks like a small 

 " P e g> with a round head. This is the embryo of the future 

 " plant and apparently now consists of only two parts. 

 " The narrow pointed part directed towards the base of the 

 " bean is the radicle. This in the process of germination will 

 f( develop the tap-root, while the round head called by 

 " Botanists the Plumule will be found on examination to 

 " consist of two very minute fleshy leaves, the cotyledon 

 " ary or seed leaves of the young plant. Between these 

 " minute leaves is a process called the " punctum vegeta- 

 "tionis" or growing part of the ascending axis destined 

 " in process of time to give rise to all the various struc- 

 " tures of stem, branches, leaves, flowers and fruit." 



It therefore appears clear that far from the substance 



