HOW A SQUASH PLANT GETS OUT OF THE SEED 83 



is the fact that these first two leaves came out of the 

 seed, and did not grow out of the plantlet itself. We 

 must notice, too, that these 

 leaves are much smaller 

 when they are first drawn 

 out of the seed than they are 

 when the plantlet has straightened it- 

 self up. That is, these leaves increase 

 in size after they reach the light and air. 

 106. The roots are now established 

 in the soil, and are taking in food 

 which enables the plantlet to grow. 

 The next leaves which appear (Fig. True leaves. 

 82) are very different from these first or seed 

 leaves. They grow out of the little plant itself. 

 The picture shows these true leaves as they appear 

 on a young Crookneck squash plant, and the plant 



now begins to look much like a 



squash vine. 



106a. The leaves which are borne in the 

 Marking seed are the cotyledons or seed-leaves. Their 

 the root. enlargement, after sprouting, is largely or wholly 

 at the expense of the nutriment which is stored 

 up in the seed. The true leaves (Fig. 82) appear as 

 soon as the plantlet begins to gather materials for itself. 

 Germination is not complete until the plantlet has thoroughly 

 D established itself in the soil, and the true leaves have 

 begun to appear. The plantlet then becomes a plant. 

 The earlier part of the germinating process may be called sprouting. 

 1066. The incipient shoot which gives rise to the growth 



