CHAPTER III 



STRUCTURE OF SEEDS 



15. Germinating Seeds. The " higher plants " have 

 their round of life from the seed to the mature plant, 

 forming roots, stems, branches, leaves and flowers. 

 Many crops of the farm and garden are started each 

 year from seed. We should observe a number of the 

 larger kinds of seeds, such as corn, beans, peas, cotton, 

 squash, sunflower, castor beans, and any other large 

 seeds that may be easily secured. After we have closely 

 examined them as to their size, texture of their coverings, 

 and other quali- 

 ties, a number of 

 each kind should 

 be planted and 

 observed in the 

 schoolroom while 

 they are germi- 

 nating. They may 



Fig. 7. Gardeners' flats. A, showing holes for 

 drainage. B, filled with sand or loam ready for 



planting. 



be planted out-of-doors if the weather is warm, but it 

 will be much better to plant them in boxes of moist, 

 clean sand or sawdust. A shallow box, 3 or 4 inches 

 deep, like the gardener's flat (Fig. 7), will answer the 

 purpose very well. After the seeds are planted, the 

 box should be kept in a warm place. It may be kept 

 covered with a pane of glass, to prevent the sand 

 from drying out too rapidly. The student's ger- 

 minating seeds will furnish fine study material for the 

 class. 



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