58 ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



Make the cuttings as described (page 42). Each student should 

 make a number of useful ones to be planted at home. 



19. The Bean Embryo. 



Materials. Beans soaked for a day, enough to supply each student 

 with several. 



Make a drawing of the split bean showing the cotyledons, plumule 

 and radicle. Indicate each part. How many parts are there to a bean 

 seed? What is the function of each part? Which parts make up the 

 embryo? In what part is the food stored? What parts come above 

 ground when the bean grows? Is the plant monocotyledonous or 

 dicotyledonous ? 



20. The Kernel of Corn. 



Materials. Corn soaked for a day in cold water, or for twenty 

 minutes in hot water. 



Cut the tip from a kernel of corn and make a drawing of the cross 

 section. Indicate the endosperm, cotyledons or scutellum, plumule 

 (or radicle if cut very close to the top). Split a kernel of corn the narrow 

 way and one the broad way. Make drawings of each and indicate the 

 parts. Is the food stored in the embryo, as in the case of the bean? 

 WTiat parts come above ground when the corn grows? Is the corn 

 monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous? 



21. Germination Test of Corn. 



Materials. Germination box and fifty or more ears of corn. 



Make the test as described (page 49). Compare the appearance 

 of ears that germinated well and that germinated poorly. Are there 

 any ways of distinguishing them? Make cross-sections of kernels from 

 each class. Compare the appearance of the embryos, or "chits." The 

 more vigorous kernels usually have a bright, "cheerful" appearance, 

 are plump and full at the tips, and have a large cream-colored germ. 

 See how well you can determine the germination in advance by these 

 characters. 



22. Analysis of Clover Seed. 



Materials. Balances weighing to centigrams or milligrams, and 

 hand-lenses. Two samples of clover seed with the prices. Alfalfa, 

 timothy or other small seeds may be used. 



Weigh out a one-gram sample of the seed. Separate it into: 

 (1) pure seed; (2) inert matter, broken seed, dirt, etc.; (3) weed 

 seeds. Weigh each. Make a germination test of the pure seeds as 



