86 



FIRST LESSONS WITH PLANTS 



SUGGESTIONS. All this behavior of the germinating squash re- 

 sults in raising the foliage above the soil and in keeping the seed- 

 coats beneath it. But suppose that the seed is not buried, but lies 

 on the surface of the moist earth, or is covered only with loose 

 leaves or litter : then what happens ? Fill a pot or box with earth 

 up to half an inch below the rim, lay fresh squash seeds upon it, 

 cover the pot with cardboard and keep the seeds moist and warm. 

 Watch the result. Peas germinate in this way very readily. 



XVII. GERMINATION OF BEANS 



109. Plant a few common beans and watch the 

 germination. The plantlets back out of the soil 



much as the squash 

 does, and the coty- 

 ledons, a, Fig. 86, 

 are elevated into the 

 air. These cotyledons 

 remain practically the 

 same size as they were 

 in the seed, however, 

 and do not become 

 conspicously green 

 and leaf -like. 



FlG - 8G - FIG - 87 110. At the same 



Germination of Germination of ^ j t ^ f 



common bean. Scarlet Runner bean. 



the Scarlet Runner or 



White Dutch Runner bean. The first foliar parts 

 to appear are true leaves (Fig. 87), and if the 



